The Christmas Cat
by NinjaKitty91
Summary: Between poor grades in school, conflicting work schedules and unrequited feelings, Naruto doesn't think his luck can get any worse. Little does he know he is about to meet someone who has been sent to make things better this holiday season. AU. NarutoxOC. [Sucky WIP summary, better than it sounds I promise!]
1. Chapter 1

_Hello, how are you all? I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season. I know I did, though it came with its moments of chaos. To recap, my son and husband both got sick and had to be taken care of, I got in my first car accident -it wasn't my fault, either. Praise God, I don't have any car damage to show for it, but I did end up in urgent care to make sure my baby was okay, and am now scared of driving hehe. ^^; Also, our neighbor's house nearly got broken into and we've had a few visits from cops, as well as package theft in the area keeping me on the watch for my mail. Then there's been Christmas shopping and family get togethers and what not. Super busy, but so fun too. I love the Christmas season. ^^ Sooo on that note, I apologize for unanswered PMs. It's not intentional, I've just been drained. X_X_  


 _Tonight, I finally have time to upload the first of the three part short AU I promised in my last chapter of "Nozomi"._ _This story line is inspired and based off of a poem my friend, fireaangel wrote for me involving the NarutoxNozomi pairing a while back._ _It features my OC, Nozomi in a completely different setting and lifestyle, and I took a few liberties to create a more modernized Konoha and story for Naruto himself. So, I hope you all enjoy this first installment. I am currently working on the third and final part, as I want to get a chapter a day out to finish this up before the year comes to a close. :)_

* * *

Naruto pulled his blue-and-orange-striped scarf tighter, shuddering against the extreme cold as he walked down the street. His breath came out in soft, visible puffs, making him wish that he had a bus pass. At least the public vehicles would be warm with all the people inside to help fight off the Winter chill. Maybe he'd look into that possibility when he got his next paycheck.

The whiskered blond picked up his pace, and the white bag he held bumped into his side, causing him to grin. It had been about a month since he got on at Ichiraku Ramen, the hottest new restaurant in town. The place was constantly packed, and he had little down time as one of the newest waiters on staff, but it paid well, and his boss was incredibly generous. At the end of the day, the old man would send Naruto home with all the food he could carry (usually ramen), insisting his workers had to be well fed to keep up with his bustling business.

It was a fact that Naruto was extremely grateful for, since he didn't have much money by the time he paid his rent; at times he'd even gone without a meal or two in order to keep the electricity on. Deep down, he knew such behavior was silly. His parents had said to let them know if he needed anything, but his pride kept him from calling them. It hadn't been long since he moved out on his own, and he wanted to prove that he could handle it, which was why he'd been so fortunate to land the job with Ichiraku.

The schedule was not always the easiest to keep up with, though. The restaurant was exceedingly popular as eating establishments went, and more often than not, Naruto had been called in on a day off due to a shortage in staff. Then there was the fact that his work schedule conflicted with school sometimes, forcing him to miss a class here and there. Sadly it had begun to show, as he'd gotten a D on one of his last essays.

As if that stroke of luck wasn't bad enough, his long time crush, Sakura Haruno, had rejected him, instead getting together with Sasuke Uchiha, who he could hardly stand most of the time. Honestly, what did that emotionally-stunted Uchiha have that _he_ didn't? Another puff of air blew up as he huffed in annoyance, clicking his tongue.

To top it off, right before work he'd gotten a call from his mother. His father had contracted some sickness and they'd probably be unable to come out for Christmas, unless he got better before then.

Naruto shook his head vigorously, putting the depressing thoughts out of his mind. It was Christmas time, and he had the week off school to work and relax. This was not the time to be wallowing in self pity!

Arriving at his apartment complex, the blond started up the stairs, moving carefully as they were covered with snow so slippery it could be mistaken for ice. Finally reaching the top, he approached the door to his unit. It was on days like these that he wished he could afford to live somewhere else -anywhere would be better than this apartment complex that was exposed to the elements of nature.

He was just fishing out his keys when he heard a soft jingle, making him pause and glance around. "Hello?"

A faint tugging at his pant leg drew his attention downward, and his brows rose as his gaze landed on a slim, black cat. Sensing she had his attention, she sat back on her haunches and regarded him curiously with big, golden orbs.

Curious, the blond knelt down and picked her up. She wore a red ribbon collar with white fur trimming that had one large, gold bell in the center, and three smaller ones on either side of it. There was also a bright red ribbon tied onto her tail.

Naruto glanced around, looking for anybody who might be missing their pet -with all those trimmings, she had to belong to _someone_. Naturally, nobody was outside but him, and he shrugged, glancing back down at the cat, who had begun to purr. "Well, there's no sense leaving you out in the cold, is there?" He paused. "If only I knew your name."

"It's Nozomi."

Blue eyes widened considerably at the unexpected voice, and the blond stared at the cat. "Did you just….?" After a minute, he looked away, shaking his head. ' _Gee, I'm so tired I'm imagining things!'_

"Nozomi is a good name for now, though, until we find your owner. Let's go inside, okay?"

His response was an enthusiastic mew, and he grinned, unlocking the door and hurrying inside, away from the bitter cold.

…..

The next day found Naruto outside, asking around in an effort to find Nozomi's owner. He had brought her along in hopes that someone would recognize her, but while many stopped to coo over her pretty ribbons, no one actually claimed the cat. Naruto was also keenly aware that the more people they met, the more little Nozomi seemed to withdraw and cling to him, watching the newcomers warily.

It was early evening when a cold wind stirred up, and he decided to call it quits and head home. Walking briskly to escape the weather, he gazed down at the cat thoughtfully. It just didn't make sense. Why would anybody dress a cat up so prettily if they were going to abandon it?

Upon reaching his apartment, he pulled out his keys and unlocked the door and opened it. Noticing that the jingling metal had attracted Nozomi's attention, he grinned at the round, gold eyes peering up at him. "Don't worry. I'm not gonna give up until I find your home."

One of the cat's ears twitched, and he could've sworn her eyes had narrowed at him. However, that would be the least bizarre thing that happened, he realized, as the cat stood up in his arms until they were eye to eye and... _spoke_.

"I _am_ home, silly."

Naruto gaped at her, feeling his jaw drop open in shock. "What the- did you just…?!"

Nozomi gave him a sly kitty grin, purring and climbed onto his shoulder to nuzzle his cheek before she leapt down and raced across the family room, climbing on top of a stack of boxes labeled "X-mas" and curling up with a satisfied _nya_.

Naruto stood by the door, staring at the cat bemusedly. After a minute, an icy blast of wind hit his back, reminding him he was letting out what warmth the apartment had to offer, and he closed the door quickly.

Deciding to wait a little longer before having dinner, the blond decided to set up his Christmas tree. He glanced over at the pile of boxes and winced as he realized that this meant disturbing Nozomi from her nap. As quietly as he could, the whiskered teen approached the slumbering feline and scooped her into his arms. One eye opened, and she mewed in protest as he transferred her to the couch.

Watching the blond tear down the stack of boxes, she thumped her tail in annoyance. It wasn't until she saw him open it and pull out leafy branches that she realized things were inside, and she jumped onto the floor, trotting toward what remained of her "tower".

A glance back at Naruto revealed that he was too busy setting up the tree to pay attention to her, and she twitched her whiskers mischievously, turning back to the pile of boxes. After a minute, she found one that was open and, deciding it was as good a place as any to start exploring, she hopped inside.

…..

Naruto stepped back to admire his handiwork and grinned. The tree was finally set up; now all that was left was to decorate it. He paused, realizing that Nozomi had been awfully quiet and decided to see if she'd gone back to sleep. A peek at the couch found her missing, and he frowned. "Where'd she get off to?"

Glancing around, he clicked his tongue, calling her name, and after a moment, his effort was rewarded with a muffled "mew", followed by a scratching sound. Well, now he knew that wherever she was, she must be stuck. As he searched the room, he continued to call her, carefully listening to try and pinpoint where she was, and gradually found himself drawn to the pile of boxes by the wall.

Still, there was no sign of her, and he was just beginning to think he'd misheard when the box farthest from him shook ever so slightly. "Nyaa!"

Lifting the flaps, which had caved in slightly, Naruto peered inside and burst into laughter. There, laying in a heap was Nozomi, stuck in a strand of gold Christmas beads, and getting more tangled up by the minute.

Hope filled eyes shot up toward him as her ears picked up his laughter, and the blond snickered under his breath as she hissed, as if urging him to hurry up. "Alright, just hold still." He murmured, lifting her and the mess of beads from their cardboard prison. It took some time to undo all the knots, but at long last Nozomi was free, and she rubbed her nose against his in thanks before bounding off once more.

The sound of something rolling on the hardwood floor drew Naruto's attention moments later, and he peeked around the Christmas tree to see that the little cat had discovered an ornament. He sighed, watching with amusement as she batted the round object around with her paws, scampering after it whenever it got too far away. "You sure are energetic, -ttebayo!"

Nozomi glanced away from the ornament she was about to pounce on, standing up straight as she turned to the blond, a slight grin appearing on her muzzle. "Well, of course. What would you _expect_ from a cat?"

Naruto's mouth dropped open, and she chuckled. "Yes, I'm talking, and you're not imagining it. I'll be happy to explain myself.. _.after_ I'm finished playing." Her eyes widened as the blond made a grab for her, narrowly missing, and she paused, smirking.

"Okay...you want answers that badly? Then you'll have to catch me!" Without waiting for a response, the feline turned and bolted up the Christmas tree, barely suppressing her giggle fit when she heard the boy groan loudly.

"No, wait! Come back! Gaaah, Nozomi!" Scrambling to his feet, Naruto stood in front of the tree and began to search, grimacing when a furry paw swiped out of the branches and swatted at his fingers. "Ow! That's not fair!"

After several repeats of the incident, the branches stopped shaking, and he had to strain his ears to figure out where the cat had gone. A small smirk appeared on his face as he realized what she was up to, and he walked away, coming back shortly with a step stool. He placed it behind the tree and stepped on, waiting impatiently.

Just as he expected, Nozomi emerged at the top of the tree and glanced around, most likely watching for him. Not that it'd do her any good, Naruto thought, reaching out for the unsuspecting cat.

It was as if she had somehow heard his thoughts, as she glanced back, eyes widening as she saw him and tried to scramble out of reach. It was too late, however, as large, tanned hands closed around her and she was yanked off the Christmas tree.

Nozomi refused to go down without a fight, which Naruto quickly found out as she squirmed in his grip, even going as far as unsheathing her claws. Not wanting to get scratched, he let go of her and, realizing she had nothing to hold her up, the feline scrambled for purchase -finding it in his hair and wrapping around his face.

"Nozomi-! What are you-blegh-doing?! I can't see!" Naruto sputtered beneath her fur and took a step back. Only when his foot touched nothing but thin air did he remember he'd been on a step stool, and caught off balance, the blond fell backward onto the floor with a startled yelp.

"Ow...that really hurts…" He winced as he rubbed his backside. Frowning, he glanced down at Nozomi, who'd released her death hold on him once they were on the ground. Before she could run again, he grabbed her by the scruff and lifted her so they were eye to eye. "Okay, I caught you. Now start talking."

Triangular ears flattened as the cat flashed a sheepish grin, exposing rows of sharp little fangs. "Okay, okay." She agreed, sweat dropping. "You can put me down now. I won't run anymore -a deal's a deal."

Naruto regarded her with a suspicious frown for a few seconds before lowering her onto the ground, his stare unwavering, and she sighed. "Alright….gee, where do I begin?" She paused briefly, a slow smile spreading across her face. "Oh, I know!" She stood up on her hind legs and pointed behind the blond. "In that box I got stuck in, there's a book! Get it for me, please!"

Blond brows furrowed as Naruto's frown deepened. "There's no books in there, Nozomi. This is just a trick so you can run again."

Nozomi's smile faltered as she shook her head vigorously. "No, no, no! I'm telling the truth! There _is_ a book, and it'll explain everything!" She sat back down, making the bells around her neck jingle softly as she pressed her front paws together and gave him a hopeful look. "Please..?"

There was a short pause as the blond stared at her, finally relenting with a sigh and turning to the box in question. "Okay, I'll check, but only to prove that there's no-"

He broke off abruptly as his hand brushed something solid, and his eyebrows rose as he pulled out what looked like a children's book. On the front was a picture of Santa in his sleigh, and it was titled "The Christmas Cat". Glancing back at the black cat, who he swore was smirking, he pouted. "I've never seen this before -ttebayo! Where'd it come from?"

Nozomi grinned and raised her paws in a shrug before urging him over, and he scrambled over, looking less suspicious and more intrigued as he placed the book on the floor before her.

Clumsily using her paws to open the book, the cat paused to glance over her shoulder. "Alright, read this." At the look of disbelief that appeared on his features, she grinned. "C'mon, you want to know what's going on, this will tell you everything."

Inhaling softly, Naruto picked up the small book and began to read. "Every Christmas, Santa sends a special cat to one lucky man, to bless them during the holiday season. She can talk, and has special magic that she uses to make him happy during her week stay. In that time, she devotes herself to learning his heart's greatest desire; on Christmas, she fulfills that wish, then disappears forever."

At first, he had sounded bored, but as he read on, Naruto's tone changed to one of wonder, and he gazed at Nozomi, wide eyed when he was finished. "Is this for real?"

The cat just raised an eyebrow. "I know it sounds crazy...but hey, I'm talking, so that should be proof enough. Right?"

The blond nodded slowly as he let the information fully sink in, glancing around. It was then that his eyes landed on the tree, and he blinked. "I forgot all about the tree."

Gold eyes followed his stare before shifting back to him as the feline grinned. "Let's trim it up then!" She suggested, dashing over to a box full of decorations.

When Naruto didn't answer, she glanced back to see him staring at her in surprise and grinned, sticking out her tongue playfully. "What? It's much more fun to climb a tree when it's all decked out!"

…..

Naruto beamed at the finished Christmas tree. It looked pretty darn good, considering the only help he'd had didn't possess thumbs. His apartment was a mess of empty ornament containers and overturned boxes, but it was worth it looking at the tree, which was filled to the brim with ornaments, bows, lights and beads. The latter Nozomi had stubbornly refused to have anything to do with after her tangle with them before.

"We did a pretty good job, nya?"

Naruto glanced down at the cat beside him and grinned. She'd honestly knocked things off the tree more than she'd been able to help, but he could tell she'd really been trying, so he'd held his tongue, forcing a grin as he swept up fragments of broken ornaments. "Yep, and now we're all done." He broke off as his stomach growled. "I guess it's time for dinner."

"Sounds good," Nozomi replied, getting up and following him into the kitchen. "I'm starving!"

Opening the refrigerator, Naruto took out the remainder of food he'd brought from work before and set it on the counter, stopping to shoot the cat an apologetic look. "I know cats like fish, but all I have is ramen right now."

"Oh, that's okay! I love ramen!" Came the enthusiastic response, and he glanced at her incredulously, causing her to sweat drop. "Err...I mean...I'm sure the ramen will taste just fine. Better than an empty tummy, anyway! Hahaha…" She rubbed the back of her neck with one paw sheepishly as a confused looking Naruto turned away, pouring the ramen into a large bowl and putting it in the microwave before sitting down at the table to wait.

Nozomi jumped up on the chair across from him and stood up against the table, eying the blond curiously. "So, Naruto-kun. Tell me...why is a nice guy like you unhappy?" Seeing the surprise on his face, she added, "The book didn't really explain it, but the Christmas Cat is normally sent to those who need cheering up. So...since I'm here, well.."

Naruto looked down and nodded. "Well...I guess things aren't going too well right now." He paused before going on, noting that the cat was listening intently. "I've only been living on my own for a couple months and between work and bills I've been pretty stressed. It's starting to affect my grades in school, too!"

"Then, my long time crush rejected me and got with my so-called friend, all in the same day, and on top of that, my parents can't come for Christmas cause dad is sick and mom can't leave him alone cause according to her he's helpless in this state.." He shook his head.

' _Now I know why I'm here...poor Naruto-kun was going to be alone for the holidays.'_ Nozomi thought sadly. She jumped up on the table, approaching the boy.

"I'm sorry to hear that you've had such bad luck, Naruto-kun." She paused, offering him a small smile. "But hey, as far as that girl is concerned...I'd say she missed out on a really great guy!"

Encouraged by the hint of a smile on her charge's lips, the Christmas Cat went on. "As for your school work, I'm sure you'll be given a chance to make up that and any other grade you're low in, so don't worry!" There was a pause as she thought over the rest of his problems, and she sighed. "...I am sorry to hear about your dad, though…"

The blond's lips turned up into a small, appreciative smile as he nodded. "Yeah, thanks. I was pretty bummed out when Mom called and told me...but-" Calloused hands scooped Nozomi off the table, pulling her against him in a hug. "I've got the Christmas Cat looking out for me, now, so everything will be just fine!"

Unable to contain her own happiness at seeing him so cheery, Nozomi turned and rubbed her nose against his cheek, purring softly as he lowered her onto his lap and began to stroke her fur. Glancing up and locking eyes with him, she thumped her tail contently to show him how happy she felt.

' _Naruto-kun seems different from anyone I've helped before,'_ She thought, letting out a soft sigh. ' _Maybe_ _ **he'll**_ _be the one to grant my wish.'_

A dreamy smile spread over her muzzle as she daydreamed of walking on two legs instead of four, having fingers and thumbs...and maybe...falling in love. A blurry image of a girl with cat ears walking hand in hand with an unidentifiable boy materialized in her mind and heat flooded her face, burning under her fur as she quickly shook her head. ' _Wait, this isn't about what I want- it's about making_ _ **him**_ _happy! I shouldn't be thinking like that!'_

Unable to look at the blond without remembering her selfish thoughts, Nozomi leapt onto the table and turned her back to him, pretending to lick her paw.

At the same time, the microwave went off and Naruto got up from his chair. Grabbing a small bowl, he poured some of the steaming ramen inside before setting it on the table in front of Nozomi, who thanked him and lowered her head to take a bite. Then, grabbing himself a pair of chopsticks, the blond grabbed his own bowl and sat down.

Hearing the cat's content purrs made him smile, and he glanced up, noodles dangling from his lips to see his companion devouring the ramen with gusto.

' _A Christmas Cat who likes ramen? That really_ _ **is**_ _special, -ttebayo!'_

Naruto made quick work of his meal and sat back in his chair, watching the cat with half open, sleepy eyes. He blinked once, twice; the third time, his eyes remained closed, and his breathing began to even out. He didn't realize he was falling until his forehead collided with the table, rudely awakening him and he sat up quickly, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "I must have dozed off…sorry about that, Nozomi."

When the feline didn't answer he looked up in confusion, his brows arching as he spotted the empty bowl in her spot. A quick glance around the room found her crouched in front of the tree, and he shook his head, clicking his tongue before he crossed the room, snatching her up.

"Don't even think about it." He warned, snickering as she scowled, openly voicing her displeasure at being interrupted. "I have something you'll probably like even more, -ttebayo!"

"Oh really?" Nozomi scoffed. Still, she watched with mild curiosity as the blond rummaged through the closet in the hallway.

"Try _this_ on for size!" Naruto emerged from the closet and tossed a blue yarn ball towards her, barely stifling his laughter as the cat's expression went from unimpressed to overjoyed in a matter of seconds.

Nozomi lunged at the ball, which was almost as big as her, only to have it roll out of reach as her paw grazed it. Whiskers twitching with slight frustration, she gave a predatory yowl and scampered down the hall after it.

Heading back into the family room, Naruto sat on the couch and watched in amusement as she finally caught the ball by jumping onto it, her claws unsheathing to grip the threads to prevent its escape.

Upon hearing a soft chuckle, Nozomi glanced up, locking stares with the blond boy and flashed him a cheeky grin, exposing rows of pearly white teeth. "You're the best master ever, nya!" The cat sat back and lifted her paw, intending to lick it, but to her chagrin her claws had gotten tangled up in the yarn.

"Oh, no you don't...I am nobody's prisoner!" She cried, throwing herself on top of the ball once again in an effort to free her paws, but only becoming more tangled. With a frustrated sigh, she continued to struggle against her binding, glancing briefly at the man on the couch.

"I'm sorry. This probably wasn't what you had in mind for Christmas company. I bet you'd look less bored if I was a human..." Naruto didn't respond and she looked up, a small smile spreading over her muzzle as she realized he had fallen asleep. "Looks like it's time for bed."

With a lot of effort, Nozomi finally freed herself of her yarn captor and leapt onto the sleeping blond's lap. "Get to bed." She instructed when startled blue eyes opened to meet hers.

Naruto opened his mouth to make a retort, but instead a yawn slipped out, and he slumped his shoulders in defeat as he saw the smirk on the cat's face. "...Fine." He murmured as he stood and sleepily made his way down the hall, vaguely aware of the feline following close behind. Reaching the door to his room, he pushed it open and basically collapsed onto the mattress, unable to bring himself to care about changing for bed.

As he hadn't bothered to cover up, Nozomi jumped onto the foot of the bed and grabbed the corner of his comforter in her mouth, tucking him in to the best of her ability. "Sleep well, Naruto-kun." Her eyes softened as she watched the blond, and she leaned in, rubbing her nose against his affectionately.

She was about to leave when a hand wrapped around her, pulling her closer, and she looked back with a startled mew.

Naruto's eyes fluttered open, and he smiled sleepily, using his free hand to pet her head. "Stay with me, Nozomi-chan."

Nozomi's ears perked in surprise, and she averted her gaze to the pillow, brows scrunching together in thought. ' _I...guess...as long as I don't stay for too long, it's okay.'_ Letting a small smile spread over her face, she relaxed into the blond's hold and closed her eyes, purring softly.

…..

Naruto sat up straight and glanced around the dark room, inhaling deeply. That had been one crazy, intense dream.

 _Nozomi had appeared to him and tucked him in, just as she had before he'd fallen asleep. Then, all of a sudden a pink mist surrounded the cat, and in a blinding flash of light she changed into a human with cat ears and a tail! As Naruto gaped at her in his dream, she gave him a demure smile before slowly leaning in and pressing her lips to his…._

A drop of sweat ran down his head as he did a double take, forcing the mental images away as he struggled to calm down. Was there something wrong with him? There must be, for him to have dreamt such a thing about a cat! It didn't make sense at all!

' _I wonder what Nozomi would say if I told her about it?'_ He quickly pushed the thought away and shook his head. It was embarrassing enough that he'd dreamed of her in such a way - he didn't need her _laughing_ at him to top it off!

It was then that he realized Nozomi was no longer with him, and he peered over the edge of the mattress, frowning. Flinging the cover off himself, he got up and checked under the bed, but there was no sign of the little cat. Where had she gone?

" _It's much more fun to climb a tree when it's all decked out!"_

Blue eyes widened as he recalled her words before. He'd initially thought she was joking but she'd proven him wrong after dinner, when she went right to the tree. Could she have gone out to climb it after he fell asleep? A soft groan escaped his lips as he scrambled to his feet and hurried down the hallway.

He paused as he reached the family room, a relieved look crossing his features as he looked at the tree, which was untouched. He'd never been so glad to be wrong. Though, that still left the question of Nozomi's whereabouts unanswered. His thought were interrupted by a low rumble and he glanced toward the couch. Maybe she'd decided to sleep out here instead.

"Silly kitty, getting me all worried for nothing." Naruto approached the couch to look down at the bundle of fur….only to recoil back in shock, sputtering loudly. "W-what the hell?!"

This couldn't really be happening. How was it that the girl from his dream was sleeping on his couch?! ' _I thought I was awake!'_

"Wh-what?!" A sleep muddled reply cut into his thoughts and he watched, stunned as the brunette shot up off the couch and stared at him, bewildered.

"Naruto-kun?" Black cat ears swiveled around for several seconds, searching for any danger and, when they found none, the girl tilted her head to one side, perplexed. "What's going on?"

"What's going on?!" Naruto echoed incredulously, making her flinch. "I think that's _my_ line! Who are you, and how did you get into my apartment?!"

One thin brown brow lifted in surprise. "Naruto-kun, what are you talking about? It's me...Nozomi. Remember?"

"Nice try, but Nozomi's a _cat_!" Came the blond's retort as he folded his arms and narrowed his eyes. "I'll ask again. Who are you and why are you in my home?"

The bemused expression on the brunette's face shifted to one of understanding, and her ears pressed flat against her head awkwardly. "Oh...I know what's going on now." She said softly as she glanced around the room, noticing how dark it was. "It's...not morning yet, is it?"

"I'm not sure what that has to do with this, but yeah, it's midnight." Naruto huffed impatiently, stepping back as the girl stood and approached him. "H-hey! Don't come so close!"

Stopping when she was right in front of him, the brunette shot him a pleading look. "Naruto-kun...I know this doesn't make sense, but I'm telling you the truth...I _am_ Nozomi."

As tempting as it was to send her away and get back to searching for his cat, Naruto had to admit that there was something familiar about her. The golden hue to her eyes was completely unnatural. It was possible they could be contacts, but he doubted she'd have been able to sleep in something like that.

With a soft sigh, the spiky haired blond slumped his shoulders in defeat, still eying the strange girl warily. "Fine, I'll admit there's something...different about you. But if you want me to believe you're Nozomi, you're gonna have to prove it!"

A mischievous glint appeared in her eyes as she nodded, grinning and flashing a small, triangular fang as she spoke. "Alright..well, earlier, you found out that I am the Christmas Cat, and you had a lot of questions. Luckily I had that book, but what you need to understand is that the Christmas Cat is unknown to most others. I used a bit of the magic Santa gave me to create what is now the only book to ever mention the Christmas Cat."

She went on to list the terms of her stay, quoting exactly what he'd read before while Naruto stared, feeling conflicted. Her facts all lined up, but…

"Okay, you sound like her, but...Nozomi's not human. How do I know you're not just some cat cosplayer?"

"...Do you _really_ think I'd sleep in cosplay?" Gold eyes rolled upwards as Naruto gave her a look that plainly said "you'd be surprised what some people do" and she shrugged, ducking her head in front of him. "Okay, if that's what you think then go ahead. Try to take my ears off." There was a pause before she added quickly, "Just- be gentle."

Naruto stared at the brunette unsurely for a moment before reluctantly placing his hands on the base of her ears and giving a light tug. When they didn't move he added a little more force, frowning when they still didn't budge. Without realizing it, he began to full on yank them, only to stop abruptly as the girl hissed, swiping a clawed hand at him.

"I thought I said be gentle! Ow...I'm going to have such a headache later…"

Stumbling backward, he gawked at the brunette, who was rubbing the furry appendages on her head gingerly. "N-Nozomi?! But….how?!"

This snapped the girl back to attention and she smiled, disregarding his assault on her ears as his words sank in. "So...you believe me now?"

The only answer she got was a stunned nod from the blond and she let out a relieved sigh, moving to sit on the couch once more. At her beckoning, Naruto joined her, his eyes full of unspoken questions and she folded her hands in her lap, glancing down at them awkwardly.

"So, like I said, I know this is strange for you, but...I change into this form at night, and then at sunrise, I turn back into a cat."

Blue eyes narrowed slightly in confusion. "What are you, really? A cat? Or a human?"

Nozomi's eyes shifted to meet his, a serious look on her face. "I'm a human who turns into a cat during the day."

Blond brows furrowed as Naruto tried to wrap his brain around the new information, and he frowned. "But you're magical. Can't you reverse it so the human form is out in the day and the cat at night?"

A hint of a smirk appeared on Nozomi's face as she shook her head. "Even if I _could_ use my magic that way, what do you think _most_ guys would assume if some _girl_ appeared claiming she'd been sent to make their Christmas better?"

Naruto took a moment to consider this, flushing red as he realized what she was getting at, and he looked away sheepishly.

A soft laugh escaped the brunette as she watched him, amused before she sighed and shook her head. "It's much easier to do my job as a cat. That, and I can only use my magic to make _your_ life easier, not mine. Anyways, I messed up -you weren't ever supposed to know about my human form, so-"

She broke off. His attention may be focused on her, but he was by no means listening, she realized, biting her lip uncomfortably and looking away. "Please don't stare at me like that. It's...embarrassing."

"Huh? Oh…sorry." Naruto's eyes shot up to meet hers, embarrassed that she'd caught him checking her out. "It's just that...you're really pretty...is there anyway you can _stay_ in human form?"

Nozomi inhaled softly, willing herself not to blush at his compliment. "Well...there _is_ a way to make it permanent...but nobody's ever figured out how to do it before."

"You know how though, don't you?" Blue eyes stared impatiently into her own as the blond's eyebrows knitted together, and she hesitantly nodded in response. "Well? Tell me. What has to be done?"

"Err...That's really up to you." Now he looked so hopeful that Nozomi was tempted to tell him everything, but there were rules, and she could only say so much. "It's like this. If you make the right wish, I will stop changing into a cat, and I won't have to leave on Christmas."

"Okay, and? What _is_ the ''right'' wish?" Naruto pressed, arching his brows when she gave him a sheepish look and shook her head.

"I'm sorry, Naruto-kun, but...I'm not allowed to tell you."

The whiskered boy pouted for a moment before a thought occurred, and he smirked. "Well, what if I just don't wish for _anything_?"

He was answered with another shake of the brunette's head. "You'd be cheating yourself then, because whether you wish or not, I can only stay for seven days. The only way to stop it is to figure out the right wish as I told you."

Seeing her charge's face fall made her stomach twist with guilt as she realized she'd made him unhappy, and she frowned. "Anyways, don't focus on that- enjoy the gift you've been given to the fullest. I promise to do everything in my power to make your holiday a merry one!"

Naruto nodded, giving a half smile in response and a short silence fell over the two. Nozomi couldn't help cursing herself inwardly as she noticed the pensive, borderline frustrated look on his face; he was clearly still hung up on figuring out what this "correct" wish was. ' _Why did I even tell him about that? I could've just played dumb, I guess…'_

Ignoring the voice in her heart that suggested she _wanted_ him to know the truth about her, the brunette stretched her arms until her shoulders gave a satisfying _pop_ and yawned. "Well, it's late, Naruto-kun. We should get some sleep while we still can."

"Yeah, you're right." The blond replied, standing up and yawning himself. A drop of sweat ran down his head as he watched the cat girl lay back on the couch, and he paused. "Why don't you come back to my room?"

The suggestion took Nozomi by surprise, and her face turned pink as she gaped at him, ears laying back timidly. "I-I'm sorry- You mean...sleep in your bed with you?"

Realizing how his offer had come across, Naruto recoiled back, blushing faintly and facepalmed. "I-no! It's not what you're thinking, Nozomi. You don't have fur right now and it's just cold out here, and I don't have any extra blankets. I know it's awkward, but it's all I've got to offer. I won't do anything, I swear! I just don't want you to freeze -ttebayo!"

The two remained locked in a staredown for a few, awkward moments before Nozomi laughed sheepishly, breaking eye contact. "I guess...when you put it that way, it _is_ pretty logical. Besides, the couch really isn't that comfortable in this form."

Relieved that she was no longer looking at him like he was some kind of pervert, Naruto held out his hand, helping her to her feet, and the two exchanged shy smiles before they headed down the hall.


	2. Chapter 2

_Hello everyone! I'm pleased to see that people are enjoying this story! Also a big thank you to SesshyxKagomeLover for reviewing! Remember, folks, reviews are like food for a writer. They feed the muse, inspire the writer and just overall make us want to write faster for ya'll. ;) So if you find yourself thinking "Man, this update is taking forever, what gives?" maybe try leaving a review of encouragement. ^-^_

 _I am doing my best to get the last part of this done, but with tomorrow being New Year's Eve, it may have to be posted a day or two later than I want. ^^; I'll do my best though! In the meantime, please enjoy this second part~ :3_

* * *

Naruto sat up and rubbed his eyes, glancing around his room sleepily. Hearing a yawn, his gaze shifted toward the source, and his face fell as he realized that the girl he'd been snuggling was a cat again.

His brows furrowed as he laid back again, thinking about the events of the night before and silently wondering if he'd somehow dreamt it all up. As he puzzled over this fact, Nozomi's eyes fluttered open, and she turned to face him.

"Good morning." She said, looking up at him. Her muzzle twisted into a frown as she noticed the look on his face. "Sorry, but I _did_ tell you I'd be a cat again by morning, remember?"

Naruto merely nodded in response. At least her words proved that last night's bizarre events _hadn't_ been just a dream.

When the blond failed to answer, Nozomi exhaled softly and got to her feet. "Look, if I could be human right now I would, but I can't. Sorry for the disappointment." Before she could jump off the bed, however, Naruto's hands closed around her stomach and she found herself being squeezed to him in a firm, yet gentle hug.

Glancing down at him, she was surprised to see regret swimming in his normally bright, blue eyes. "Naruto-kun?"

She'd barely spoken the four syllable name when he squeezed her tighter and buried his face in her silky fur. "Wait, Nozomi-chan! I'm sorry, I was just so surprised to see you as a cat, I wondered if I dreamed everything. I wasn't trying to ignore you or anything like that! I mean, yeah I do like your human form but I like you as a cat, too!" He sat up abruptly, still holding onto the feline as he gave her a mischievous grin. "You're a lot lighter for one thing -ttebayo!"

This prompted a roll of the cat's eyes, and she shook her head good naturedly before letting out a soft sigh. "Okay, but still. There's not really much you can do with a cat during the daytime. I mean, it's not like we can go anywhere!"

Naruto's eyes lit up at her choice of words, and he shot up from the bed, beaming. "That's a great idea! I need to get you some fish, anyway so let's go shopping!"

A drop of sweat rolled down Nozomi's head as he set her back down on the mattress and began to rummage through his dresser. "...Err..maybe we _can_ go out then..?"

The whiskered boy nodded enthusiastically, pausing a moment later and wrinkling his nose with displeasure. "What's that smell-" He broke off as he sniffed under his arm, flushing as he realized it was him. Apparently, this was the result of sleeping in the previous day's work clothes. "Um...let me just get a shower first." Not waiting for his guest to reply, he grabbed a change of clothes and darted out of the room.

…..

"Waah! Can you slow _down_ a little?" Nozomi gripped Naruto's shoulder for dear life as he ran down the snow covered sidewalk. Her request was granted a few moments later when the blond came to a stop outside of a modest looking grocery store and turned his head to look at her, grinning.

"Sorry, I didn't want to waste anymore time than I already did." He reached back and stroked her chin, making her legs feel like jelly as she melted into the touch.

His face fell as he saw a sign on the window stating that only service animals were allowed inside, and he exhaled loudly. "Well, that complicates things." Noticing the bemused expression on his companion's face, he explained the predicament and watched her eyes light up with understanding. "So unless we can pass you off as a service animal in training, I don't think I can take you in."

Nozomi nodded slowly in response. "Well, how would we go about convincing them?"

"You really wanna know?" There was a glint in Naruto's eye that made her pause for a second, but she pressed on, nodding again, and he grinned. "Alright, so…" Lowering his voice, he turned to look at her, whispering in her ear.

"What?" The cat stared at him with disbelief and leapt onto the ground, shooting him an accusatory glare. "I have to wear a _leash_ and be paraded me around like a dog?!"

Naruto folded his arms across his chest, fighting the urge to laugh at her predictable reaction. "It's either that or you have to wait out here for me."

Nozomi's eyes narrowed as she hissed unhappily. She was about to make a retort when she spotted a large, white dog in the distance, and her ears pressed flat as it turned in her direction, sniffing the air. Realizing she'd been spotted, a drop of sweat went down her head, and she quickly got back on Naruto's shoulder with a heavy sigh.

"Fine, you drive a tough bargain...let's just get this over with then, okay?"

Blond brows knit together at her hasty response, as Naruto was fairly certain she'd been about to argue more. Why the sudden change of heart? Noticing that she kept glancing over his shoulder, he began to follow her gaze only to have her paws press firmly against his jaw, discouraging him from looking.

A toothy, nervous grin followed when she saw the suspicion on her charge's face, and Nozomi laughed weakly. "Let's not waste anymore time like you said, right?"

This got the whiskered boy's attention, and he nodded vigorously, glancing around. Failing to see anything they could use as a makeshift leash, he turned to his Christmas Cat and flashed a sheepish smile. "Well, there's nothing that would work for a leash here...do you think you could, um...use some magic to get us something that we could use?"

The question elicited a long, drawn out sigh from the cat, but she nodded either way. There was a soft tinkle of bells in the air, and she reached behind the blond's head, pulling out a long, thick red ribbon from nowhere and holding it up for him to see. "How's this?" She asked, her voice muffled from the ribbon in her mouth.

Naruto nodded and took the material, examining it with a look of approval. "Perfect. Now come here for a minute."

A flash of reluctance passed over Nozomi's face, but she allowed him to set her down, being careful to stay behind him in case the dog was still around. Kneeling in front of the cat, Naruto tied a loop on one end of the ribbon and slipped it under her collar. Then he fed the other end of the material through the loop, pulling gently until a secure knot formed.

Wrapping the end of the makeshift leash around his hand,, the blond stood up straight, grinning down at the less than thrilled feline. "Alright, remember. You're a service cat so act professional."

The only response he got was a soft huff from his companion as they headed inside.

…..

Nozomi received more than a few skeptical looks, especially when Naruto tried to pass her off as a service cat in training. By some stroke of luck, the store owner humored them and allowed her in, on the condition that she behaved. There was one instance where Naruto had to drag the cat away from a fresh seafood display, but otherwise it proved to be an uneventful shopping trip.

He thanked the shopkeeper over his shoulder as he headed out with his bag of groceries. A few minutes later he stopped and knelt beside Nozomi, undoing her ribbon leash and stuffing it into his jacket pocket.

"Finally...I was beginning to feel like a _dog_!" The cat exclaimed dramatically, making him snicker.

"And what's _wrong_ with dogs?!" Demanded a gruff voice, causing Naruto to jump and turn around, locking stares with a brown haired boy and a large, white dog.

Nozomi's eyes grew as round as saucers as she realized that it was the same dog she'd seen earlier, and she scrambled onto Naruto's shoulder, trying to hide behind the mess of blond spikes on his head.

Sensing her discomfort, the blond reached back, stroking her as he stood up straight. "Ah, sorry, Kiba! That was me." He paused, noticing the unimpressed look on the brunette's face.

' _Duh!_ _ **He**_ _doesn't know that the cat can talk, so of_ _ **course**_ _he thinks it was you, idiot!'_ He mentally berated himself, scratching the back of his head with his free hand awkwardly.

"Er...Anyways, I wasn't saying anything bad about dogs. I just...you know! Between school and work lately, I'm so tired! …. _Dog_ tired. You know, cause I'm being worked like a-"

"Okay, we get it." Kiba interrupted. He raised an eyebrow skeptically at the blond, who grinned sheepishly back before shrugging and turning to leave. "If you say so, Naruto." He said over his shoulder, stopping after he'd taken a few steps. "By the way, Naruto," He glanced back, mischievous, slanted eyes landing on the black ball of fur trying very hard not to be noticed behind the blond's head. "I never took you for a cat person."

Naruto laughed weakly and shrugged his shoulders but offered no explanation as the boy and his dog took their leave. When the duo were gone, he slumped his shoulders and sighed deeply. "Gee, that was close!"

Nozomi climbed down onto the ground to sit in front of him, smiling apologetically. "Me and my big mouth...I'm sorry! I didn't mean to get you in trouble! You got labeled a cat person too...Sorry about that."

This elicited a snicker from Naruto as he lowered his gaze to meet hers. "Nah, I should've checked to make sure we were really alone before I started talking to you. Anyways, what are you apologizing for? Is there something wrong with Kiba thinking I'm a cat person?"

Nozomi's eyes narrowed slightly in response. "Well, you're _not_ one, are you? I mean...you don't strike me as the cat lover type, anyway."

There was a short pause before Naruto's lips curled into a teasing grin, his eyebrows quirking with amusement. "Well, I didn't buy all this fish just for _me_ , -ttebayo! Maybe a cat _wouldn't've_ been my first choice for a pet, but having the Christmas cat around changes people. Don't you think so, Nozo-chan?"

He chuckled at the surprised look on the cat's face and shook his head. "Anyways, let's get this food home."

"Okay." Nozomi barely noticed when the blond scooped her into his arms. All she could think about was the fact that he'd given her a nickname. Not that it was a huge deal, but none of her other charges had ever done something like that so it was...different. Deciding that different felt nice, she climbed up onto Naruto's shoulder again, wrapping around his neck like a scarf and closed her eyes as he resumed the trek home.

…..

"Isn't it a little early to start dinner?" Nozomi tilted her head curiously as she sat on the counter, watching Naruto prepare the fish they'd bought earlier.

The whiskered boy grinned at the cat's confusion. "Oh yeah. We had lunch a while ago, so this much seem weird to you," he chuckled, scratching the back of his head, "I have to work in an hour, and I want to make sure you have something to eat while I'm gone."

Triangular ears perked up in understanding then lowered abruptly as Nozomi realized what this meant. "Oh...so then, you won't be here for dinner?"

There was a short pause as the blond turned to her again, an apologetic smile on his face as he nodded his head. "Yeah. The old man's got me scheduled to work until closing, which is usually at 9:30, but with it being the holiday season I'm not sure how long I'll be there."

The oven beeped, then, informing him it was preheated, and he grabbed the tray of fish, sliding it inside the oven and setting the timer.

"Oh, okay. I guess I'll see you when you get home then, huh?"

Naruto nodded before glancing over at the clock. "I should actually start getting ready for work now. Let me know when the timer goes off, okay?"

Not waiting for an answer, he headed down the hall, leaving Nozomi alone in the kitchen. With a soft sigh, the feline leapt off the counter and laid down in front of the oven, waiting patiently as the timer counted down.

Her ears perked at the sound of footsteps in the hall, and she glanced up. Hearing a door shut, she sighed and lowered her chin to rest on the floor. "Gee, he's not even gone yet, and already I'm lonely."

The cat gave a soft snort as she heard the words leave her mouth and shook her head vigorously. ' _Oh, c'mon, am I really that attached already? Get it together, Nozomi! You knew he'd go to work sooner or later...Gee, if this is all it takes to make me sad, then the day_ _ **I**_ _have to leave is gonna be a_ _ **killer**_ _!'_

Rolling her eyes, Nozomi turned her attention to the oven. She closed her eyes, enjoying the warmth emitting from it as the aroma of fish wafted through the air, tickling her senses. At least Naruto was leaving her with fresh fish.

' _On a more positive note, maybe I'll use the shower tonight. It's been awhile since I could indulge my human side. Hmm...I wonder what kind of soap he has.'_

A warmth crept under the feline's fur at the thought. Having slept as close to him as she had the night before, she had developed an appreciation for whatever body wash the blond used...and his hair smelled just as good. Still, the idea of her human form sharing his scent was...awkward, if not a little embarrassing.

"Okay, I'm ready. How's the fish coming?"

Nozomi had been so lost in thought that she'd failed to notice Naruto's return, and she jumped away from the oven, startled.

"You alright?" The blond lifted an eyebrow at her skittishness.

"I'm fine." The cat gave a terse nod, watching as he went about checking the fish all the while grimacing inwardly. Leave it to Naruto to show up and startle her in the middle of an awkward string of thoughts!

"Looks like these are just about done." The whiskered boy announced, grinning as he closed the oven door once again.

Nozomi's brows arched in surprise at this. Had she really been lost in thought for that long? It didn't seem that way…but apparently she _had_.

After a few more minutes, Naruto deemed the fish ready to eat and took it out, setting the tray on top of the stove to cool. Glancing down, he noticed the way he companion was practically salivating as she sniffed the air and smirked. "Don't try to get any while it's up here -you'll burn yourself," he warned before getting out a plate. Once the fish had cooled down he grabbed one and stuck it on the plate, then set another plate over top of it.

"That should keep it from getting too cold. Just move the plate when you're ready to eat, okay?" He then took the rest of the fish from the tray and placed it in a container, putting it in the fridge and turning back to the feline. "There's enough in here for you to have more after you change into a human, okay?"

There was a pause as he glanced around the kitchen, thinking hard. "Um...oh! Do you know how to use the microwave?" When Nozomi nodded, he heaved a soft sigh of relief. "Okay...in that case, I guess I should go, now."

"Already?" Nozomi cringed at the whiny tone in her voice but stood her ground, ears lowered as she stared up at the man.

Naruto's response was an apologetic grin as he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Well...I don't have a car or bus pass, meaning I have to walk...so yeah."

Noticing the way her face fell, he hurried to add, "Anyways, you've got the house to yourself so you can do anything you want -just don't climb my Christmas tree. Oh, and I'm sure you know this but still, make sure you stay inside. I don't want you accidentally getting locked out or anything, -ttebayo!"

"Okay." Nozomi gave a small smile, not wanting to make him unhappy and jumped onto his shoulder, rubbing her cheek against his affectionately. "Take care, Naruto-kun. I'll see you later."

Before the blond could react, she was on the floor again, curling up by the oven to bask in its last remnants of warmth before the heat went out completely. Smiling gently, Naruto knelt and stroked her fur gently, bidding her farewell. Then, with promises that they'd do something the next day, he was gone.

Nozomi glanced back as she heard the front door close, followed by the click of the lock and frowned, feeling that she was in for a long evening.

…..

Hours later, the lock clicked, and a shivering Naruto staggered into the apartment, shutting the door behind him. "Nozomi-chan, I'm home." He said softly, glancing around as he made his way to the kitchen. He took a seat at the table and, removing his meal from the takeout bag, he grabbed his chopsticks.

It had been a crazy night. Ichiraku was already a popular place to eat, but it seemed that given the holiday season combined with the chill in the air, everybody off the street wanted a bowl of steaming soup! He'd been on the same shift as Ten Ten and Lee. The latter's boundless energy had enabled them to keep up with the onslaught of customers, but halfway into their shift they were swamped, and Teuchi had called a couple more people in to help get things under control. The part-timers, Ino and Shikamaru wouldn't have been Naruto's first pick, but they were the only ones available, so he held his tongue. Besides, without them, he might not have gotten a break all night, so who was he to judge if one was bossy and the other unmotivated?

Finishing up his ramen, Naruto took the bowl to the sink and smiled softly, seeing the emptied fish container. At least he'd left Nozomi plenty to eat. A part of him had been worried about leaving her alone so long. He hated the way she looked when he left, but even the slight guilt he'd felt as her face fell didn't change the fact that he had to work if they were going to be able to eat and stay out of the weather.

Deciding to go find the cat and say goodnight before hitting the sack, he made his way into the family room, wincing as he spotted the extremely beat-up blue yarn ball in the corner. Whatever feelings she'd had about him leaving, she'd clearly taken them out on it. Reminding himself that his guest would be human by now, he approached the couch cautiously, peeked over the edge and saw…nothing.

A curious look was on his face as he looked around the room again, brows knitting together. "Funny, I thought she'd be here for sure." A yawn escaped his lips, then and he shrugged, deciding to go get ready for bed before searching anymore.

Heading into his room, he took out a pair of flannel pajamas and was in the process of stripping down when he happened to glance at his bed, and froze. Curled up beneath his comforter was Nozomi, and she was wearing one of his sweatshirts.

"Naruto-kun…"

He jumped at her voice, standing stock still as the brunette's head rose from the pillow. Had she noticed his presence? After a few seconds, she lay back down, burying her nose in the pillow. A faint blush covered Naruto's face as he heard her inhale deeply before she went still again.

' _Did she really miss me that much?'_ A small smile crept onto the boy's face as he approached the bed and stroked one of the catgirl's ears lightly. Her lips curled into a serene smile as she subconsciously leaned into his touch, purring softly.

Naruto retracted his hand and went to turn off the light before padding back to the bed. As Nozomi still hadn't budged, he was careful not to disturb her as he crawled onto the bed, tucking himself in with the other end of the blanket. Half opened eyes slid toward the sleeping girl beside him one last time, only to widen in surprise as they locked with drowsy looking golden orbs.

"Nozomi-chan…Um, I-!" He began, but was silenced as the brunette scooted closer, laying her head in the crook of his arm, and draping an arm across his chest.

If Naruto had not thought he was dreaming before, he was beginning to wonder now; this was the complete opposite of the cat who'd teased him about being way too touchy feely with her the previous night. This girl was snuggling up to him!

As he lay there, wondering what had gotten into his Christmas cat, golden eyes gazed up at him, and he felt his face heat up at the warmth behind them

"Welcome home...I missed you."

Nozomi's eyes fluttered closed once more, and a few minutes later, her breathing evened out, confirming she'd fallen back to sleep. Naruto stared at the brunette who'd basically monopolized his entire arm, and his lips twisted into a half grin-half smirk. At least this time he could labme their close proximity on her.

He was just drifting off to sleep when a scent reached his nose, bringing his senses alert, and he opened his eyes reluctantly, surprised to find Nozomi's head on his shoulder. It must be her shampoo he was smelling…

 _But wait. That scent was- had she…?_

The blond buried his nose in the brunette's hair and took a whiff. His face flushed as he confirmed that Nozomi _had_ used his shampoo, and that meant that she'd taken a shower. In his bathroom, which had to mean she'd wrapped up in his bath towel after, so it was going to smell like her.

Groaning softly as this train of thoughts conjured mental images he'd rather not think about, he shut his eyes tight, trying to concentrate on something else. Anything to make the issue brewing down south go away. Glancing at the sleeping brunette, he attempted to free his arm, only to grimace as she tightened her hold on his chest, leaning heavily into him with a soft sigh.

Realizing that he was stuck, Naruto exhaled softly and closed his eyes in defeat. One thing was certain: he might as well kiss any notion he'd had of a good night's sleep good bye, now.

…..

Naruto poured a packet of hot chocolate into a mug of hot milk and stirred until the mix dissolved into the liquid. Once he was satisfied with the flavor, he moved on to a much smaller, plastic handled cup and repeated the motion.

A grin tugged at his lips as he thought over the newest detail he'd learned about his feline companion. Apparently, since she was not a typical cat, she could hold onto and drink from cups if they were small enough. For this reason, when she heard he was making hot chocolate, she asked for a cup too. Of course, Naruto hadn't believed her at first, so she'd demonstrated her ability for him, rendering her speechless.

' _Speaking of Nozomi'_ , he thought, ' _She sure was surprised this morning!'_

 _According to the feline, she had woken up pressed to his chest, and when she had tried to get up he'd squeezed her like he would a pillow. As if that wasn't bad enough, he had begun to talk in his sleep, his breath tickling her ear as he murmured things that she refused to elaborate upon when asked._

 _Letting it go for the time being, Naruto asked her if she'd slept well, adding that she'd been so glad to see him she'd clung to him all night, and the cat recoiled, looking horrified. "T-that wasn't a dream then?" She sputtered, a drop of sweat rolling down her head as the man chuckled and shook his head._

" _Do you dream about me often, Nozo-chan?" He asked, unable to resist teasing her as she stubbornly looked away, blushing heavily under her fur.  
_  
" _I do not!"_

 _He didn't say it out loud, but he was kinda happy to know he was on her mind enough to follow her into her dreams..._

"Hey, what's that goofy grin for? Is that hot chocolate ready yet?"

Naruto glanced down to see the subject of his thoughts staring up at him and he nodded. "Yeah, they're done now."

He set the two cups on the table then sat down, watching as the cat jumped up and sauntered over to them. His brow furrowed as a thought hit him, and he frowned. "Hey...Nozomi-chan, are you sure you can drink this?" Gold eyes shot toward his, confused by the sudden question and he hurried to elaborate. "I mean...isn't chocolate bad for animals?"

This elicited a snicker from Nozomi as she sat back on her haunches, shaking her head. "Naruto, Naruto, Naruto…" Her eyes danced with amusement as she looked up at him. "It's true that animals shouldn't have chocolate, but let me say this again: I'm not _really_ a cat." She smirked and crossed her paws, puffing her chest with pride. "I'll be fine; a little chocolate can't hurt me!"

"Huh...Okay, then. Just be careful." Naruto's words came out barely more than a whisper as he took a sip from his own mug, watching as the cat reached for hers.

One furry paw slipped through the handle, securing its hold with her claws while the other paw balanced the opposite side of the cup. Slowly she lifted the steaming drink toward her muzzle, pausing just to take a deep whiff of its heavenly aroma before lapping up a tongue full of the beverage.

"MREEEOOOWCH!"

The cup hit the table with a _clank_ and Naruto watched, bewildered as Nozomi jumped down from the table and onto the counter, clumsily using her paws to push the faucet on the sink before leaning forward and thrusting her burnt tongue into the cool water. In the process, her paws slipped, and she fell into the sink, getting soaked in moments.

Finally recovering from his shock at the startled _nya_ this caused, Naruto got up and turned off the water, fighting a grin.

"I _told_ you to be careful, but you just _had_ to prove me wrong. Only you ended up proving me _right_ -ttebayo!" The blond's amusement got the better of him then, and he broke into a fit of laughter.

"I _would've_ been able to drink it if it wasn't so insanely hot…" Nozomi pouted at his merriment and rolled her eyes. Oh well, two could play at this game, she decided. A sneaky grin appeared on her muzzle that she molded into a pitiful look. "Um...when I dropped the cup I think my paw pad got splashed, 'cause it hurts...Can you take a look?"

After a moment, Naruto calmed down and nodded, leaning in to inspect the paw. Only, instead of finding a burn, he was pelted with drops of water as the feline stood and shook vigorously, freeing her fur from some of the water she'd sustained.

Stumbling backward, one arm shot up to shield himself as the blond cried out. "Hey, what was that for?!"

Nozomi hopped off the counter and sauntered out of the kitchen, raising her tail in a defiant manner as she looked over her shoulder smugly. "That was for laughing at me."

She paused mid-step when she heard a snort and raised an eyebrow. "What's so funny now?"

"You. Just look at how wet you are!" Came Naruto's laughter filled reply as he stepped closer to the cat. "It looks like you're going to need a bath. Let's go."

A soft, audible gulp came from the feline as he advanced on her, and she backed away. "N-no thanks!"

"Why not? Don't tell me you're afraid of baths! I thought you said you weren't _really_ a cat?" Naruto smirked teasingly as she took a step back for each one he took forward. "I'll even let you use the shampoo you liked so much last night."

The look on his face told Nozomi that he was well aware she'd used his shampoo, and a strange squirmy sensation crept into her stomach as she felt her face heat up. "W-well, what else was I supposed to use, huh?"

"Hey, I'm not mad or anything," Naruto's hands went into the air, palms up as he spoke, still advancing closer. "Actually, it smelled really nice on you when you were all snuggled up to me.."

His choice of words rendered Nozomi tongue tied, and she sputtered for a retort that never came as she remained rooted to her spot, staring at his sneaky grin. Glancing away uncomfortably, she noticed that she was almost out of the kitchen. To her dismay, Naruto noticed too, and made a grab for her that she just narrowly avoided.

"C'mon, Nozomi! You're already wet -let's just get this over with -ttebayo!"

"This is unnecessary! I can just lick myself dry!" The cat protested, dodging yet another swipe of the blond's hands. Seeing that he wasn't going to give up, she heaved a heavy sigh. Her eyes lit up as an idea came to her, and she shot her charge a mischief filled grin. "If you're really that dead set on this, you're gonna have to catch me, first!"

Not giving Naruto a chance to process her challenge, the Christmas cat spun around and made a mad dash for the family room.

"What the? Not again, Nozomi!" Came the nearby groan as Naruto realized what she'd meant, and she chuckled, sprinting all over the room, careful not to stay in any spot for too long. This time she was on her guard. She'd just run away until he tired out and gave chase. It was a fool-proof plan.

…..

Lady luck must not like Nozomi, because just moments later, she was cornered, forced to either run down the hall or try darting between Naruto's legs. Deciding that the latter was too risky, she opted for the former, figuring that she could hide in another room. Only, she found out quickly that none of the doors were open. Aside from the bathroom door, that is. Realizing she was trapped at the end of the hallway, Nozomi scratched and snarled in vain as Naruto picked her up by the scruff and marched her off to the bathroom.

Still, the cat continued to fight, gradually making him lose his footing, and he fell into the sudsy water face first as she made a mad dash for the door, which was slightly ajar. She'd just about made it when a soap-covered hand clamped around her tail, and with a screech she was yanked back into the tub, where a thoroughly soaked Naruto held her tight, lathering her fluffy fur with shampoo.

Nearly an hour later, both man and cat sat beside a medium-sized heater vent, sighing contently as they were blasted with hot air. Neither one had spoken since the bath debacle, as Nozomi was still fuming at her charge's audacity, and Naruto was too winded to attempt conversation.

Still, he was not known for sitting in silence for long, so despite his weariness, he turned to the feline, a playful grin on his lips. "You lied to me, Nozomi-chan."

As he'd hoped, her head shot up to look at him, eyes narrowing in confusion. "What on earth are you talking about?"

"You said you're not like a real cat, right? Well, that was a lie, otherwise you wouldn't have fought a bath so much."

Nozomi wrinkled her nose at the statement, whiskers twitching in annoyance. "That's not it at all, I just don't like being manhandled like that…"

Snickering, Naruto rubbed her head with his palm, smoothing down her damp fur. "I only 'manhandled' you because you were being so stubborn. So, if you really don't mind baths, why were you fighting me so much?"

A stream of unintelligible muttering left the cat's maw and he shot her a confused look, making her sigh. "I _said_ the idea of you giving me a bath was just embarrassing," she grumbled.

"Why would it be embarrassing though?" The blond pressed, tilting his head to the side, "People bathe cats all the time. Why is this different?"

Nozomi sucked in a breath of air sharply and sighed, shutting her eyes as she groaned. "It's because I'm a human, and you _know_ that! Even if I turn into a cat, I still like to preserve my dignity, or what I can of it anyways, thank you." She breathed, pouting. "You happy now?"

"Okay, so you're human and don't want me bathing you. Is it because I'm a guy? Still, in that form it shouldn't be awkward...not unless you _like_ me. Is that it?" Came Naruto's reply, and seeing the way the cat's fur spiked up, he couldn't resist pressing the issue further. "You _do_ like me, don't you? Is that why you slept with me last night? Eh, No-zo-mi?"

Nozomi abruptly broke eye contact, looking anywhere but his direction, leaving him grinning like a cheshire cat, as her silence said more than enough.

There was a long, awkward silence between them that was finally broken when the blond coughed, offering her a small grin when she glanced up warily. "It looks like you're all dry. Why don't we go see if there's any Christmas specials to watch while I brush your fur?"

At her incredulous stare, he gave a mock offended look. "I _do_ have cable, -ttebayo! It's just basic but it works! Anyways, I'll warm you some milk and we can take it easy since I doubt I'm gonna be able to get to work if this storm they're predicting hits."

Realizing that this was the boy's attempt at a peace offering, Nozomi's face relaxed into a small smile, and she nodded. "A saucer of milk sounds perfect right about now," she admitted.

"Great, let's do it then!"

The cat barely had time to brace herself before she was swept off the floor into Naruto's arms as he ran down the hall.

…..

Just as predicted, Naruto ended up having the day off work as his boss was too kind-hearted to expect him to make the trip in a storm, knowing he had to walk. He had, however, asked the boy to pull a double shift the next day, since the weather ought to have calmed down by then.

As luck would have it, the storm had blown over by morning, and so Naruto nudged the cat who'd been asleep on his chest, rousing her from her slumber. Noting her sleepy eyed frown, he gave an apologetic smile as she got up and made herself comfortable on the other side of the bed with a heavy yawn.

"Sorry about that, Nozomi-chan. I just didn't want you waking up and worrying when you found me gone. I have to go into work early today, to make up for yesterday."

This seemed to snap the cat out of her sleepy haze, and she gazed up at him, ears pressing back sadly. "I'm not gonna see you at all today, am I?"

She looked so sad; Naruto couldn't resist reaching out and scratching her chin, hoping to soothe her even a little. "That's not true. I _am_ working a double, but I should still be home in the evening, and hey, I'll bring plenty of ramen this time!"

The promise of hot soup seemed to perk her up a little, and he grinned, rubbing her head and reveling in the velvety feel of her ears for a moment more before pulling away to get ready to go. When he was finished, he turned back to the cat, noticing her eyes were shut again and sighed softly. Truthfully, he wished he could stay with her, but work couldn't be put off any longer.

Hearing his sigh, golden eyes cracked open to peer up at him, and he lifted his hand in a wave. "See you later."

With a nod and a yawn, the feline's eyes slid shut again, and Naruto took his leave.

…..

In spite of back-to-back shifts, work went relatively quickly, and before he knew it, it was time to leave. After clocking out, Naruto headed to the kitchen, where his boss, who was also the main chef met him. The old man gave him a grin that crinkled up the corners of his eyes, displaying youth despite his aging appearance.

"Good work today, Naruto. What can I get for you tonight? The usual?"

Scratching the back of his head sheepishly, Naruto had admitted he needed a double serving, prompting the chef to laugh.

"A double serving? Don't tell me, you have a hot date tonight, don't you?" Noting the faint blush on his employee's face, Teuchi chuckled and went about scooping ramen into two containers and placed them in an extra large take out bag. "She must have quite the appetite if you need this much."

Still a little embarrassed at the man's earlier comment, Naruto gave a nervous laugh, accepting the bag and bidding him farewell. Still, he failed to leave the restaurant before Teuchi called out that he wanted details on the girl next time, and a soft groan left his lips. Even one as open minded as Teuchi would be unable to believe the situation he'd found himself in this holiday season!

He sped up subconsciously as his thoughts turned to the cat waiting for him at home, a pink tint coloring his cheeks. Teuchi had referred to her as his date… ' _I wonder what she'd think about that.'_

A goofy grin appeared on his face as he recalled her response to being asked if she liked him, and he chuckled. Somehow, he got the feeling that such a suggestion would embarrass her even more. Even that evening, when she'd taken her human form he noticed she was a little skittish, taking extra care not to let him too close to her. To his disappointment, she'd insisted on sleeping on the couch that night, too.

"Watch it, dobe!"

Naruto had been so lost in thought that he wasn't watching where he was going, and he walked right into a wall. No, correction, walls couldn't be knocked down so easily. What he had walked into -or rather, _who_ he'd walked into- was none other than Sasuke Uchiha.

The dark-haired man glowered at him from the snow, but before he could say anything, a new voice entered the fray, tearing open the wound in Naruto's heart anew.

"Sasuke-kun, are you alright?! Here, let me help you!" Sakura held out a hand that was ignored as the Uchiha got to his feet, but she brushed it off, wrapping her arm around his and scowling at Naruto, who was watching with wide blue eyes.

"Naruto, you idiot! Can't you ever watch where you're going?!" She sighed dramatically and shook her head. "What are you doing here, anyway? I hope you're not still following me -I already told you, I'm dating Sasuke-kun now!"

Naruto, who looked like he'd been punched in the gut by her remark shook his head quickly. "Sakura-chan, you got it all wrong! I was just on my way home after work!" He quickly picked up the take out bag he'd dropped in his fall and, after checking to make sure the food was okay, he looked up to meet the couple's gaze once more.

A sick feeling churned in his gut as he took the sight in. Sakura may be acting overly clingy, but Sasuke hadn't done anything to discourage it, and...wait, was that a smile he'd just seen on the Uchiha's lips? A heavy pain settled into his heart as the twosome exchanged soft looks, and he forced himself to look away. "Right. So, I've gotta go. Ramen's getting cold."

Without waiting for a reply, the blond pushed past his former crush and her boyfriend, breaking into a run that he insisted was only to keep the ramen from getting cold. Only he knew the truth; that if he'd stuck around any longer, Sakura and Sasuke would've seen him fall apart, mourning the loss of something he now realized he'd never had a shot at to begin with.

…..

The slam of the door jarred Nozomi awake, and she jumped up, bewildered. "Gee, what a wake up call," she mumbled, peeking over the back of the couch and spotting Naruto by the door. "Welcome home!" She grinned at him, but he simply walked past her to sit at the kitchen table, setting the Ichiraku bag down harder than necessary.

Nozomi's smile faded as she took in his expression. He hadn't looked this bad since the night they'd first met, she realized, her heart filling with dread as she wondered what could have happened. Trotting into the kitchen, she climbed onto the chair across from him and cast a worried glance in his direction. "Naruto-kun?"

When cloudy blue eyes met her gaze, she inhaled softly and walked across the table to rub her nose against his cheek. "What's the matter? You don't look so great…"

Naruto forced a smile and shrugged. "I'm alright. Just a long, busy day at work...But hey, I got ramen, just like I promised." He motioned to the bag, chuckling as the feline's face lit up brighter than the lights on his Christmas tree. Suddenly he was really grateful for her presence. ' _If it weren't for Nozomi-chan, I'd be all alone and probably even more bummed out.'_

When she rose an eyebrow, questioning the grin he was sending her way, the blond simply shook his head and took the two containers of ramen out. Popping the lids off, he passed one to his ravenous companion and kept the other for himself.

"This is _all_ for me?" Nozomi gasped, staring down at the large serving in awe, and he chuckled, nodding. "Wow, thank you! You really _are_ the best!" She exclaimed, digging into the bowl hungrily.

Naruto broke his chopsticks apart and scooped himself a generous sized bite, but just as he was bringing it up to his mouth, his thoughts began to wander, and the noodles slipped, unnoticed into the container. It wasn't long before Nozomi noticed the lack of slurping coming from his side of the table. Swallowing a noodle, she wiped the broth from her chin with a paw and turned her focus over to the blond.

"You're not eating. Now I _know_ something's bothering you, and it's not just work." She tilted her head to the side, ears perking forward. "Something happened, didn't it? You can tell me."

Snapping out of his melancholy thoughts, Naruto gazed down at the ball of fluff hesitantly. "Well...remember that girl I told you about?" Seeing her nod slowly, he added, "I ran into her and her _boyfriend_ on my way home, and it wasn't the best experience."

There was a short pause before he gave a sheepish grin and looked away. "I know I should just get over her already. It's just...harder than I thought. I didn't think just seeing her with him would sting so much."

"No, it's okay." Nozomi shook her head, smiling sympathetically. "You really cared for her, so it's natural that seeing her with someone else would hurt." She paused, a thoughtful look appearing on her face. "I know it seems hard now, but I promise you this: when you move on, it'll be with someone who sees you for the amazing guy you are, and you'll be happier than you ever thought possible."

Naruto's eyes, which had averted down to his untouched soup rose to meet hers, a spark of hope in his eyes. "You think so?"

The cat nodded, winking playfully. "I _know_ so _._ I can feel it deep in my fur, you're going to make someone very happy someday."

Not even the sun could compete with the warmth emanating from Naruto now as he beamed down at Nozomi, patting her on the head. "Thanks, that really makes me feel good." Picking up the chopsticks he hadn't even noticed he'd dropped, he began to eat, only to pause again a few moment later. "Nozomi-chan?" He fixed his house guest with a serious look, and when she looked over, he continued, sounding a bit hesitant. "...Have you ever...liked anyone? You know, as _more_ than a friend?"

There was a sputtering, coughing sound as the feline in question accidentally swallowed a noodle whole. "Are you serious?" She replied weakly, "I've never had time for that. Not in _my_ line of work."

"Really? So you've never had feelings for anyone?" Blue eyes burned curiously into her gold as Naruto pressed the issue. "Not even...I don't know...one of your Christmas clients?"

There was a long pause before Nozomi shook her head, laughing softly. "Well...it's hard to consider such things when your charge thinks you're just a magical talking cat." She shrugged, looking away as she spoke. "You're the only charge I've ever had who's really known the truth about me. So...no. I've never had a crush on a client."

"...Oh."

When she looked up, Nozomi was startled to find sadness in the blond's eyes as he stared at her. ' _I...did I say something wrong?'_ Frowning, she asked the blond just that, and he shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant.

"Nah, not really. It's just, when you were encouraging me before, it felt like you were speaking from experience...but now I know it's just another case of well-meaning advice from someone that doesn't know any more about love than _I_ do."

When the cat didn't say anything, he resumed eating, trying not to focus too much on the silence, instead wondering why he'd felt so let down by her denial. It was true that ever since she'd cuddled up to him the other night, he'd been thinking a little differently about her, and he did find himself constantly missing her whenever he had to leave, but…Did he actually _like_ her, like her?

' _And if I_ _ **do**_ _feel that way about her...what am I supposed to do? It's not like I can ask a cat out! Unless I figure out how to keep her in human form, I'm sunk!...Then again, what if she doesn't even like me? I don't think I can handle being rejected again…'_

Nozomi watched emotions flit across the blond's face, displaying as plain as a program on the television. Somehow, she got the feeling that there was more to his being upset than just finding out she was clueless in the romance department. His eyes darted toward her, filled with conflict, and she quickly shifted focus back to her food, despite knowing there was no way she could eat when she was so concerned for the boy.

A few minutes of silence passed before she looked up again, and she flinched. Whatever conflict had been raging through the blond's mind seemed to have been settled for now, and he was regarding her with a soft look, a tint of pink on his tanned cheeks. It was all too intense for Nozomi, who'd realized she was getting too emotionally attached to her charge, and she looked away, grateful for the fur that hid her own blush from him.

Unfortunately, her abrupt dismissal of this odd staring contest between them spelled rejection to Naruto, and his face fell. Noticing the sudden change in his demeanor, Nozomi opened her mouth to ask what was wrong, but the scrape of the chair against the wood silenced her, and she watched as the blond stood, putting the remainder of his food in the refrigerator.

"I know I said we'd hang out tonight, but I'm kinda worn out. I'm gonna take a nap and then we'll see how things go after." He spoke over his shoulder as he headed down the hall, giving a vague wave. "Good night."

"...Good night." Nozomi watched until the whiskered boy was out of sight before picking up the lid for her meal and covering it, no longer in the mood to eat.

For Naruto to go to bed after eating only a few bites of ramen, something had to be seriously wrong with him. But what it could be, she couldn't fathom. He may be sad about Sakura, but he'd seemed to cheer up after her little pep talk. In fact, he'd been starting to look like his regular happy self again, up until a few moments ago.

Nozomi's mouth curved into a frown. Had she said or done something to upset him? If so, why didn't he just tell her then so she could make it right?

The cat headed toward the bedroom, intent on getting to the bottom of this, but to her chagrin the door was shut. She'd have to wait until she was human to go in, it seemed. She was about to leave when she heard a muffled cry, and she pressed an ear to the door, feeling her heart clench as she was able to make out some of the boy's words. He just wanted someone to care about him. She thought she heard her name in the jumble of sentences too, but she couldn't be sure.

Well, at least now she knew what was wrong. The question now was, what to do? A few minutes later, an idea formed in her head, and she grinned. It would go completely against her vow to remain professional, but desperate times called for desperate measures, and this seemed as desperate a time as any for her charge. Her mind made up, the cat returned to the family room, watching the clock impatiently.

…..

Minutes turned to hours, and, as expected there was still no sign of Naruto. When Nozomi's transformation occurred, she jumped up and dashed down the hallway, skidding to a stop by the bedroom door. Gripping the doorknob, she let herself in the room, ears flattening as she silently cursed the squeak that followed. She stood frozen in her spot for several minutes, watching the blond's bed, and when his blanket covered form didn't stir, she crept closer, peering down at him.

Even in sleep, his face managed to look anything but peaceful, and she wondered for the umpteenth time if her plan would be enough to tame the demons haunting his thoughts. ' _Whether it helps or not, I already made up my mind! No going back now.'_ She reminded herself, taking a deep breath and letting it out.

As quietly as she could, the catgirl climbed onto the mattress and laid down beside the sleeping blond. She was just resting into the pillow when he rolled over to face her, draping an arm around her waist and pulling her flush against him.

' _W-what the-? But I thought he was asleep!'_ The brunette thought, eyes widening as he cuddled up to her, chin resting in the crook between her neck and shoulder. A deep blush colored her pale cheeks as his warm breath tickled her skin, and she unintentionally shivered, causing him to tighten his grip in his sleep.

"Nozomi-chan...why don't you just admit I'm right?" Came the boy's sleep muddled voice, and she went stiff as a current of fear shot through her. _Had he figured her out?_

"...We both _know_ you'd rather sleep in my bed than on that old couch. Just stop being a stubborn kitty and be honest with yourself for once...!"

In that moment, Nozomi was profoundly grateful to already be laying down, because had she been standing, she would've fallen over in shock at the absurdity of her charge's words. Clearly he was sleep talking, a relief if she was being truthful.

Her cheeks burned hotly as she replayed his words in her mind. ' _Be honest with myself, huh.'_

He'd said it in response to some strange dream, and yet it still made her think. Be honest, indeed. If she were being honest, she knew deep down that when Naruto had asked her about having feelings for any clients, she'd nearly had a panic attack. The way he'd looked suggested he was aware of her true feelings. Feelings she had been trying hard not to show.

"Yeah, I like you. But what of it?" She breathed, her voice barely above a whisper as she gazed at the sleeping man's face with a look of remorse. "It's not like I can stay here...that's why It's best if I just keep it to myself.."

In fact, sleeping in his bed again went against all the rules she'd laid down for herself, but she couldn't help it. Whether she wanted to or not, she liked the guy, and was willing to do anything it took if it meant not seeing him sad. At least, judging by the smile playing on his lips, she could assume her idea had worked.

Gold eyes widened slightly and she peeked at Naruto again, confused. When had he started smiling like that? She hadn't seen it earlier. A little voice in her head teased that he'd been awake and heard her indirect confession, but she dismissed the idea quickly. Surely, if he'd been awake he'd have reacted with more than a smile and she'd have been in a lot more trouble as a result.

A yawn escaped her lips at that moment, and she decided that it wasn't anything worth worrying about. If anything, he must be having a sweet dream. If only dreams could come true; she'd gladly admit that waking to sun kissed hair and warm, blue eyes was hers, but she knew such ideas were just fantasies, conjured up by desires of the heart. With a soft sigh, she closed her eyes and drifted into her own dreams, finally indulging the feelings she'd fought to keep under lock and key.

…..

One sapphire eye slid open before Naruto lifted his head and smirked at the sleeping brunette. In all truth, he'd been awake when she came in, but she clearly hadn't realized that so he'd decided to play along, never imagining how far things would go.

When she laid down with him, he'd been shocked, and unable to control himself in his happiness, he'd pulled her close, reveling at how perfect she felt in his embrace. To his pleasant surprise, she hadn't tried to break free and had simply gone to sleep, but not before making the confession that had twisted his mouth into what felt like a permanent grin.

 _She_ _ **did**_ _like him._

Just the thought made Naruto giddy, and he had to fight the urge to snicker like a child who'd gotten away with stealing out of the cookie jar. Now that he knew his feelings wouldn't be rebuffed again, he was more determined than ever to figure out the wish that would set her free. In the meantime, he'd get her to show her true feelings, no matter how hard she tried to resist.


	3. Chapter 3

_Happy New Year everyone! Sorry for the wait, but I figure I can at least start out 2018 by finishing this story! Let me know whatcha think, bye!_

* * *

Naruto covered his mouth, stifling a yawn. "This is the last step." He murmured, grinning as he stirred the yellow mixture on the stove, watching as it changed into a light, fluffy pile of scrambled eggs. He let them cook a few more seconds before turning off the burner, then turned off the timer, which had been about to go off.

A fishy aroma filled the air as he opened the oven door, grabbing an oven mitt and taking out the small tray which contained the remainder of the fish he'd bought at the market. Setting it on the stove to cool, he opened the cupboards, getting out two plates and glasses and setting them on the table.

Then, he set to work scooping an even amount of eggs onto each plate, repeating the process after with the fish. When he was finished, he got out the milk, filling each glass halfway, and stood back to admire his work.

Deciding the display was as good as an imperfect cook like him was going to get, the blond moved onto phase two of his plan, and headed to the bedroom where Nozomi, still in human form lay. He crept over to her and gently nudged her sleeping form. When repeated attempts failed to get a response, however, he decided to try a different approach and reached for her ears, stroking them from base to tip.

A small grin began to play on the girl's face, encouraging him and he sped up his ministrations, chuckling when this elicited a soft rumbling from her. Well, purring was a start, but he needed her to wake up, so he took a daring approach, leaning in and blowing softly in one of her ears. When it flattened in protest, he repeated the action with her other ear and leaned back, beaming as long lashes fluttered, and eyes the color of gold peered up at him.

"Naruto-kun?" The brunette cast a sleepy glance at the clock and gasped, looking back at the boy, annoyance seeping into her stare. "It's three o'clock! What are you doing up already?!"

Naruto opened his mouth to respond, but at that moment, the cat girl rolled over, back turned to him as she announced she was going back to sleep.

"Wait, you can't go back to sleep yet!" The protest left his lips as he grabbed her shoulder, rolling her onto her back and she glowered lightly up at him.

"Naruto-kun...I know you're up early today, but why do _I_ have to get up, too?" She whined, trying to turn back over with little success.

"Just come with me...I have something to show you!" The whiskered boy pleaded, tugging her hand to help her up.

Deciding to humor him, Nozomi relented. Promising herself that she'd lay back down after she saw whatever her friend was going on about, the brunette climbed out of bed and motioned for Naruto to lead the way.

As they walked down the hall, he made sure to stay a few steps ahead, and just before they reached the family room, he threw a hand over her eyes, making her frown. "Naruto-kun, I can't see!" She protested, frowning as the blond chuckled.

"That's the point. It's a surprise, -ttebayo!"

Giving a sigh, Nozomi allowed him to lead her. After a few seconds they reached the kitchen, and her senses suddenly woke up, alerting her of the delicious smells in the air. Before she could ask what was going on, the hand obscuring her vision was removed, and she gasped at the sight before her: On the table sat two plates loaded with scrambled eggs and baked fish (one, she noticed had an extra slice of fish). Chopsticks were set by each plate, as well as a tall glass of milk.

Stunned, the brunette turned to Naruto, slightly tongue tied. "Naruto-I-you did this?"

The blond nodded proudly, puffing his chest a little. "That's right, are you surprised? I'd say you are, from the look on your face, hehe.." His demeanor changed as he glanced away, smiling bashfully. "I thought it would be nice to have breakfast together once while you're human. I hope you like it."

All thoughts of heading back to bed were swept from Nozomi's mind as she gazed warmly at the blond, touched by how far he'd gone to spend some extra time with her. "I'll bet it tastes just as good as it looks!" She complimented, watching as a light shade of pink colored his cheeks.

"I don't know about that. My cooking skills are really only basic, eheh..." Hearing her giggle, he shook his head quickly, motioning toward the meal. "We should eat before it gets cold."

Nodding, Nozomi reached for a chair, but Naruto beat her to it, pulling it out from under the table and motioning for her to sit. She did so and he pushed the chair in for her before making haste to get into his own seat. Picking up his chopsticks, he looked across the table and grinned at the surprise on her face. This must be the first time she'd had a gentleman take care of her, he thought smugly.

Glancing up and catching his eye, the brunette grinned shyly. "Itadakimasu."

Echoing his own thanks, Naruto dug into the food, as did she, and the room fell into a comfortable silence. Nozomi cast one last gaze at the blond, still overwhelmed with emotion over what he'd done for her. Could it be because it was Christmas Eve, and possibly their last full day together? Plopping a piece of fish into her mouth after some trial and error, she chewed thoughtfully, all the while hoping Naruto wouldn't realize just how inexperienced she was with her utensils.

…..

Naruto had noticed Nozomi's eyes drooping; if he was being honest, he was still pretty tired himself, so after breakfast he suggested they go back to bed. The brunette agreed, and to his pleasure, she cuddled into his chest without a second thought once they'd gotten comfortable under the covers.

Now, hours later he paced back and forth in the same room, muttering under his breath. Back in her small cat form, Nozomi watched in confusion, finally asking what was on his mind and he turned to her, pouting.

"Well, it's kinda silly but...I was hoping I wouldn't have to work today. I wanted to make the most of your last full day here, but my schedule says I go in tonight so..." He trailed off with a breathy sigh before plopping onto the mattress.

 _'He wanted to spend the day together? Well, that's easy enough to pull off.'_ Nozomi thought, her bells giving off a soft jingle.

Immediately, Naruto's phone began to ring, and he answered. "Hello? Oh, Teuchi-sama!" He cast a curious look at Nozomi, who was suspiciously avoiding eye contact, but before he could wonder if she was involved, he heard something that made his brows arch. "Wait, what? Seriously?"

The grin on his face faded after a second, and he shook his head. "But...don't you need help? It's Christmas Eve...Yeah, I know you've got other workers..." He sighed inwardly and shrugged. "Well, if that's what you want, I'll gladly take it. Thank you! Yeah, I'll see you later. Bye."

Hanging the phone up, Naruto's eyes slid over to the black cat who had laid down and was feigning sleep. "So...That was my boss. He told me to take a paid day off today as thanks for all my hard work lately. Do you know anything about that, Nozomi-chan?"

Seeing a slight twitch of the feline's whiskers, he smirked, leaning over and stroking her fur roughly to force a response from her. "It was _you_ , wasn't it?"

A weak mew of protest came from the Christmas cat before she jumped up and began smoothing her fur down. Seeing his smug look, she gave him a teasing grin of her own before batting him in the face with her tail.

"Well, what was I supposed to do? You're over there all sad and mopey, and I still have Christmas magic left!" She paused to lick her paw, using it to smooth a patch of fur down with a shrug. "Besides, you're not the only one who wanted to spend the day together."

She'd muttered that last bit, but Naruto still caught it and a hundred watt smile spread across his face as he picked her up and crushed her against him in a warm hug. "Thanks, Nozomi-chan!"

After a few seconds, he released the cat, an excited grin appearing on his face. "Well, we've got the whole day now, so…"

Nozomi quirked a brow as the boy trailed off, an expectant look in his eyes. "So?" She echoed, urging him on, and his grin seemed to widen in response.

" _Sooo_ , let's do something! Like…" He paused, putting a hand to his chin in thought for a moment. "I know! Why don't we go play in the snow?" Seeing the less than enthused expression on his furry companion's face, he furrowed his brows, lip puckering slightly in a pout. "C'mon, Nozomi-chan...please? Just for a little while?"

There was something about the pleading look in the blond's eyes that made it hard to argue, and so she found herself nodding. "Oh, alright. For a little while." She agreed reluctantly.

This caused her charge to cheer loudly, promising her she wouldn't regret it as he went back and forth, digging out everything he would need to stay warm outside. There was a moment when he paused, regretfully coming to the conclusion that he couldn't put a jacket or mittens on Nozomi. "Oh, I know! I can carry you in my jacket like Kiba used to do with Akamaru!" He decided with a grin as he changed quickly.

When he was ready, he scooped Nozomi off of the bed, placing her inside his jacket and zipping it up. The cat poked her head out as Naruto headed out the door, shuddering as cool air assaulted her sensitive ears, and tucked her head back inside the jacket.

' _I think I'll just stay in here for now.'_ She decided, clinging to the fabric for warmth.

…..

Nozomi must have dozed off, because it seemed only moments had gone by when she felt a hand on her head, and she blinked the sleep from her eyes, sticking her head out of Naruto's jacket to look around. Her whiskers twitched rapidly as she felt the cold air, and she wrinkled her nose in discomfort. "It's cold out here, Naruto-kun…"

Chuckling, Naruto assured her that she'd forget about it once they started playing, urging her to come out and she did, trying not to grimace as her paw pads touched the ground. Noticing that the blond had walked toward a patch of snow, she hurried after him, shivering.

' _I'll forget about this numbing cold? Yeah, right!'_ She snorted under her breath, and looked around. They were at a park; the landscape was dotted with small, weather beaten trees as far as her eyes could see, and just a few feet away a red bridge arched across a large, frozen pond. Maybe the wooden structure would be a little easier on her paws.

A glance at Naruto told her that he was busily gathering snow into a ball, so she took the opportunity to check the bridge out. She placed a paw gingerly onto the first plank of wood and shuddered. It wasn't nearly as cold as the frozen ground, but it wasn't warm, either.

' _But I guess beggars can't be choosers.'_ She thought wryly as she ventured further onto the structure, jumping onto the railing to lie down. Once she'd made herself comfortable, she gazed down at the frozen body of water, idly wondering how long it would be before the cold got to Naruto as well.

Her thoughts were interrupted as she noticed a slight movement under the ice, and unable to quell her curiosity, the cat climbed onto a snow covered rock at the bank of the pond, staring at the pond intently. ' _I know I saw something move down there.'_

Several moments went by before she saw it again: a swish of a tail fin! Her eyes lit up as she saw the small, wriggling fish pass by, seemingly unfazed by the cold water as it disappeared under the bridge. Shortly after, another fish appeared, and another, each flitting about in their own random directions, and unable to contain her excitement, Nozomi lunged at them, completely forgetting about the icy surface.

 _Crack!_ Gold eyes shut tight as the cat fell backwards and rubbed her muzzle, wincing. That ice was hard! She got back up, only to face plant again as her paws slipped out from under her, knocking her flat on her belly.

Nozomi decided that the fish weren't worth the aggravation -all that she wanted now was to get off the pond! Unsheathing her claws, she began to get up, being careful not to make any sudden movements that might throw off her balance. Her claws scraped the frozen surface as she inched forward at an agonizingly slow pace that even a turtle would scoff at.

"There you are!" The booming voice made her jump and fall again, and her eyes narrowed into slits as she glanced up, clearly unamused as she spotted Naruto on the snow bank. "Naruto-kun, you scared me!"

"Sorry.." The blond rubbed the back of his neck, grinning sheepishly. "So, what are you doing on the ice?"

"Trying to get _off_!" Nozomi grunted as she struggled to her paws again. Her legs trembled in protest after having fallen so many times before.

Naruto's apologetic demeanor vanished as he watched, arms folded and brows raised. "Yeah, I can see that. So what were you doing out there to begin with?" A flicker of movement at the edge of the pond drew his gaze downward, and his lips curled into a smirk at what he saw. "Were you chasing the fish?" He asked in a low voice, trying hard to contain his amusement.

"What? No! I….I thought I'd try ice skating-oomph!" Nozomi's face collided with the slippery surface once more and she looked up slowly, grateful for the fur hiding her embarrassment as the blond burst into laughter. "Okay, I was trying to chase them! What about it?" She grumbled through gritted teeth, keeping her belly on the ice and attempting to use her forepaws to propel herself forward.

Pressing a blue, mitten-clad hand to his mouth, Naruto's voice shook with laughter as he spoke. "You keep trying to prove you're nothing like a regular cat, but here you are constantly behaving like one! It's just kinda funny if you ask me, -ttebayo!"

' _Well, who asked you?'_ Nozomi grimaced as she continued her struggle, feeling a surge of relief as she realized that this method, though difficult, was actually getting her somewhere. If she'd only thought of this sooner, her face wouldn't be so sore right now. With a sigh, she lifted her gaze back toward her charge, pouting. "Hey, that's all true! It's just really hard to fight cat-like instincts once you're stuck inside a cat's body!" She retorted.

The snow covered bank was getting closer, to her relief, and she doubled her efforts. Finally, with a push from her hind legs, she propelled face first into the snow, and Naruto hurried over to the fallen feline.

"Thank goodness that's over." She sighed as she sat up and gazed up at the blond, who took one look at her and began to snicker. "What's so funny?" She demanded, tilting her head to the side in confusion.

Unable to answer without laughing, Naruto took out his phone and snapped a picture, then turned it for her to see. Nozomi took one look at the screen and froze. There was snow stuck to her face, giving the appearance of a fluffy, white beard that, when paired with her snow-covered eyebrows, made her look like Santa Claus. Rolling her eyes in amusement, the Christmas cat stood up and shook the snow out of her fur, trying to dry off.

"Hey!"

Surprised, Nozomi glanced up, a giggle escaping her as she realized that she'd gotten Naruto with the snow. "Well, I guess that's what you get for laughing at me," she teased as she turned to walk away. "Maybe now you'll stop making me the source of all your jo-"

Naruto made a face at this and scooped up a snowball, flinging it at her and hitting the base of her tail. This elicited a startled shriek from the cat as she jumped and turned around quickly, scowling at his innocent grin. "Hey! Wh-what was that?!" She demanded, shaking rapidly to rid her fur of the snow.

"That was a snowball," The blond replied with a smirk on his face, "and if I were you, I'd get running, 'cause there's a lot more where that came from."

"No way, what a cheap shot!" Nozomi protested, scowling in response. "Besides, what makes you think I know anything about snowball fights?!"

Naruto's eyes danced with amusement as he raised an eyebrow, giving her a look that plainly said "Oh, _please_ ". "If you can hold a cup, you can make a snowball." He grabbed another clump of snow, grinning deviously. "That is, if you have a chance to try."

This time, the Christmas cat was ready, and she leapt off to the side, dodging the icy ball he threw. "Alright, if that's how you want to play it, fine. Just don't cry when _I_ put snow down _your_ pants!"

"I'd like to see you try!" Came the whiskered boy's laugh, "You won't get that close without being nailed again, -ttebayo!"

Golden eyes lit up with mischief at his challenge, and Nozomi chuckled darkly, scooping snow into her paws, too excited at the thought of payback to care about the cold. "Don't underestimate a woman out for revenge. Even if that woman just so happens to be a cat, nya."

…..

Naruto came to regret his challenge. This may have been Nozomi's first snowball fight, but she was a quick learner, and coupled with her natural stealthiness, the feline soon caught him off guard with a well aimed snowball of her own. The blond yelped in shock at the chill on his backside and took off running, disappearing into the public restroom. Several moments later, he re-emerged from the doorway, and Nozomi took one look at his miffed expression and hunched over, her paws clutching her sides as she trembled with laughter.

"Well, not to rub it in, but I _told_ you I'd get even, didn't I?" She snickered, watching a pink tinge creep into the boy's face.

"Okay, you win." He grumbled, folding his arms across his chest and glancing off to the side. "Can we change the subject now, please?"

In response, Nozomi shivered, hugging herself even tighter as a chilly breeze drifted through, ruffling her damp fur. "Man it's c-c-cold! How much longer do you want to stay here?"

Naruto winced at the cool air and buried his hands in his jacket pocket with a shudder. "We can go now. I need to change out of these pants, thanks to _you_." He replied, ignoring the cat's triumphant expression. A soft sigh left his lips as he gazed at the long road home. "If only I had a car...it sucks to have to walk in this cold!"

"Who said anything about _walking_ home?"

He didn't notice the grin on his furry companion's face, so it took him by surprise when he heard the soft jingle of a bell, and he glanced at her wonderingly. "Nozomi-chan? What are you up to?"

His question was met with a chuckle before she urged him to come with her, so he did, following her to the park entrance.

"How about going home in this?" The feline suggested, and he followed her line of sight, eyes widening.

Parked at the curb stood a beautiful mahogany sleigh with a chocolate brown horse attached at its head. Naruto's jaw dropped as he took in the spectacle, only snapping out of his daze when he saw the black cat hop onto the seat. "If you don't hurry up, I'm going to leave you behind." She teased, and he did a double take, snapping back to reality and sliding in next to her.

The sled was roomy, and he imagined it could comfortably fit two people. _Maybe he and Nozomi could do this again when it got dark,_ he thought, a goofy grin creeping onto his face at the thought of sitting in such close, perfect-for-cuddling proximity.

His eyes scanned the interior, trying to memorize as much as he could of the moment, stopping on a soft, red blanket with white lining. Leaning forward, he picked the cover up and spread it over himself, snickering when he heard Nozomi's muffled shout from underneath.

"Sorry. Just thought you might be cold." He lifted the blanket and grinned apologetically at her miffed expression, eliciting a sigh from the cat.

"It's okay. I just couldn't see." She paused, glancing toward the horse's reigns, then back at the boy. "So, um...have you ever drove one of these things before?"

In truth, Naruto had never ridden a horse, let alone driven a horse-drawn sleigh, but he was determined to learn. Besides, there was no way he could let a cat do it… How hard could it be, anyway?

 _Quite_ hard, it turned out. Just getting the horse to obey proved a challenge, and Naruto was ready to yank out his hair in frustration when the mammal looked at him with big, sleepy eyes before folding its legs under its body to lie down. At last, with the aid of a crispy carrot, and a bit of prodding from Nozomi's claws, the sleigh was moving, the bells around the horse's neck jingling loudly as it trotted down the street.

"Um...hey, Nozomi-chan?"

Said cat glanced up, surprised to see an uncharacteristically shy look on the boy's face and tilted her head slightly. "Yes? What is it?"

Naruto paused, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "Well...I was wondering. Do you mind if we eat dinner a little later tonight?" Seeing the questioning look on her face, he hurried to explain, "It's just that...I'd like to have dinner with you in human form...since…"

 _Since this might be your last night here._

He hadn't finished his sentence, but Nozomi knew what he was getting at. Her eyes softened, and she nodded understandingly, a small smile on her face. "Okay...that's fine with me, Naruto-kun."

A relieved smile spread across Naruto's face, and he gave a light tug on the horse's reins, steering them toward home.

…..

Back in the warmth of Naruto's apartment, Nozomi opted for a nap, figuring it wouldn't hurt since they weren't eating at their normal time tonight. Jumping onto the couch, she dug her claws into the worn cushion, circling a couple times before lying down, her tail wrapped around her comfortably. She was just beginning to drift off when the seat beside her sank in, and she cracked an eye open to see her Christmas client staring down at her.

Her tongue curled back in a big yawn as she fully opened her eyes, deciding that sleep could wait until she found out what the boy wanted.

Naruto, now realizing that he'd interrupted the feline's nap gave an apologetic grin and reached out, stroking her velvety head a few times in apology. "Hey, Nozomi-chan...if you're not busy right now, I was...uhh.." It was useless to keep beating around the bush, so he stopped talking and held out a tiny package. It was wrapped in pretty silver paper with a small, fluorescent green bow on the top. The tag read "To Nozomi, my one and only Christmas cat".

"Naruto-kun..I-what is this for?" Nozomi asked in a small voice, and a faint tint of red colored Naruto's face in response as he averted his gaze momentarily, scratching the back of his head.

"It's not much, but I wanted to give you something to remember me by, cause I know I'll never forget you." There was a pause before he realized what he implied, and his brows knit as he shook his head abruptly, frowning. "Not that you're gonna have to leave or anything, because I will definitely find the right wish!" His voice lowered an octave as he smiled sheepishly. "I just..saw this and it made me think of you."

"Oh...I see." A shy grin played at the feline's muzzle as she gazed back at the small present he'd placed before her. There was a short silence that was broken by the less-than-discrete clearing of the man's throat, and, realizing that he was waiting for her to open the gift, Nozomi picked the gift up in her paws, slicing the paper with her claws to reveal a small box. Brows raising in question, she looked up to see Naruto motioning for her to open it, only to sweat drop as he realized she'd need help.

"Um, right. Let me help," he murmured, lifting the lid off and setting it to the side.

Nozomi peered in the box and her breath caught in her throat at the small charm resembling a ramen bowl attached to a dainty, silver chain resting inside.

"You're the only cat I've ever met that liked ramen as much as me...or at all, really," Naruto began, watching her face. "Do you like it?"

The cat turned to him, a radiant smile on her face as she got up and climbed onto his lap, standing on her hind legs to nuzzle his face. "I love it." She said softly, feeling the tell tale sting of tears behind her eyes. ' _No one's ever given me a present before.'_

"I'm so glad." Relief replaced the slight apprehension she'd seen on his face as he beamed. "Here, let me help you put it on." Gently removing the charm from the box, he slipped the chain around her neck and slid the clasp into place. Then, he picked the cat up and carried her to the bathroom, placing her on the sink so she could look in the mirror.

A grin appeared on her face as she realized that it was just small enough that she could hide it under her collar. Unless one knew it was there, it wouldn't stand out at all, which was perfect for her job. She glanced up and caught Naruto's eye in the mirror, and a tender look passed through her eyes as she realized he'd been watching her. Turning around, she lunged into his arms, rubbing her cheek against his repeatedly. "Thank you so much, Naruto-kun! I promise you I'll always wear it...and no matter what happens tomorrow, I'll always remember you." She said softly, feeling her voice tremble with emotion.

Speechless at her heartfelt words, Naruto wrapped the slim cat into a firm hug, revelling in her silky fur. No matter what it took, he vowed to himself, she wasn't going anywhere.

…..

Before Nozomi knew it, night was upon them, and she took on her human form. Sitting on the couch, she gazed wistfully at the lights on the Christmas tree, idly playing with the charm around her neck. ' _I really don't want to leave. This is the happiest Christmas season I've ever had.'_

A hand on her shoulder jerked her from her thoughts, and she glanced up, brows furrowing as she saw Naruto standing in front of her, dangling a holly of mistletoe above her head. "Naruto-kun? What are you…?"

He wore a cheeky grin as he motioned to the branch. "Aww, c'mon, Nozo-chan. I'm sure even _you_ know the rules of mistletoe, don't you?" Not waiting for her response, the blond leaned in close.

With a start Nozomi realized what he was up to and turned away abruptly, blushing faintly as his kiss landed on her jaw line. When he moved back, she looked up at him and winced, feeling guilty at the pout he wore as he regarded her with thinly veiled disappointment.

The brunette opened her mouth to apologize for her hasty reaction, to say that he'd startled her, but the words died on her lips as his mouth curved into a mischievous grin and he chuckled. "Okay, now it's your turn."

Feeling her cheeks heat up again as he pointed to his cheek, Nozomi bit her lip. ' _Well...it's just a kiss on the cheek, right? Totally innocent.'_ Exhaling softly, the catgirl rose from her seat, standing to her full height, feeling her knees tremble as she leaned in. ' _Just get it over with, it's not such a big deal!'_ She urged herself, resisting the urge to roll her eyes at her immature reaction.

At the last possible second the blond's head turned, and what should've been an innocent peck turned into a liplock. Nozomi's gasp was muffled by the kiss as Naruto's hands snaked around her waist, holding her gently. When he finally released his hold, she jerked back, covering her mouth in embarrassment, and sank back onto the couch in shock.

"N-N-Na-ru-to-!" She sputtered, and said boy had to fight back a snicker. She looked, in his opinion, adorably perplexed if not completely stunned. "Yes, Nozo-chan?" He answered in an overly sweet tone, eyes alight with amusement. Just what would she actually say after something like that?

' _What on earth possessed you to do that?!'_ Nozomi screamed in her mind. She had been set to ask him that, but when he turned those innocent blue eyes on her, she was more than unnerved and instead looked down, her face lost in a curtain of brown locks.

Finally, the awkward silence was broken by a distant beeping and her head shot up. "That must be the food -I'll go check on it!" She all but shouted as she jumped up, scrambling into the kitchen.

Naruto watched her frantic departure, unable to contain the sly grin that had spread across his face. Okay, so maybe he'd rushed things a bit, but...c'mon! Tomorrow was Christmas -time was running out! He had to do _something_ to get things moving!

Besides, Nozomi may have freaked out, but she hadn't exactly scolded him; just gaped and sputtered incoherently. She had to have liked it, even a little, he thought, recalling the smile that had ghosted over her lips just seconds before she'd jerked back. _Not that she'd ever admit such a thing_ , he chuckled as he headed into the kitchen for their late dinner.

…..

Nozomi glanced around the room, feeling slightly unnerved. Was it really necessary to eat by candlelight? She didn't recall Naruto saying anything about the electric bill being a problem this month, but then again, she also didn't remember asking. Gathering her courage, the brunette opened her mouth to ask, but then Naruto looked up, catching her eye, and she grew tongue-tied.

"So, Nozomi-chan, have you ever played in the snow before?"

Despite the awkward atmosphere, the question amused the brunette, and there was a teasing twinkle in her eyes. "Didn't I just do that earlier today? Don't tell me you forgot already!"

"No, I know that!" A drop of sweat rolled down Naruto's head as he shook his head rapidly, pouting. "Have you ever tried it in human form? _That's_ what I'm asking."

One dark brow lifted upward before Nozomi shook her head. "No...I don't usually go out after dark." She paused, watching his face curiously. "Why do you ask?"

"Well..." The boy's eyes darted to the side as a sudden bout of nervousness crashed over him like a wave in the ocean. "I was just thinking, maybe we could go out there again. I promise it'll be more fun in human form, -ttebayo!"

As the blond went on to list things that they could do in the snow, Nozomi's thoughts wandered. Playing in the snow together _did_ sound like fun, but...Somehow, a red mini dress with white fur trimmed straps, elbow length gloves and knee high boots just didn't seem like they'd be warm enough against the winter's cold. This was why she preferred to stay indoors if possible. Yet, at the same time she hated to disappoint the blond, who's eyes danced with excitement as he suggested building a snowman.

The brunette inhaled deeply, letting the air out in a soft sigh. "So...that's what you want to do, then?" When Naruto nodded, she knew that she couldn't say no to that hopeful look, and she groaned inwardly. "Oh...alright. But you'll have to let me borrow some warm clothing."

…..

Bundled in an oversized orange sweatshirt with a dark blue scarf and slightly baggy, black sweatpants tucked into her boots, Nozomi was about as ready as she'd ever be. A little off balance, yes, but that was to be expected with all the extra layers of clothing.

Naruto took one look at her and decided that she was ready, and so they headed out. Thankfully, the sleigh that they'd ridden earlier was still there, so after awakening the horse, they climbed in and went on their way.

It wasn't long before they reached the same park they'd gone to earlier, and the horse slowed to a stop. Naruto was the first to get out, offering a hand to Nozomi, and helping her down as well. Once they made sure the sleigh was secure, they headed into the park.

Nozomi quickly discovered that her boots were not suitable for this weather, as she had only taken a few steps when her feet slipped out from under her and she fell backwards into a pile of fresh snow. Groaning, the brunette flopped onto her back in annoyance.

Hearing her startled cry, Naruto's head turned toward her, and an amused grin spread across his face as he made his way over to her. "Don't tell me you're already tired." He snickered, taking in her pose and shook his head, gripping her hand to help her up. "We can make snow angels later, okay? I want to build a snowman."

"Oh yeah, that's _exactly_ what I was doing down there," Nozomi mumbled, her breath coming out in soft puffs as he led the way. Finally they reached their destination, which turned out to be the same bridge she had explored before, and Naruto turned to her, grinning.

"Let's make it here, that way anybody using the bridge will see it!"

Nozomi nodded, and he crouched down, gathering snow into his hands and molding it into a ball. It had reached a medium sized ball when he heard an excited _nya_ , and he glanced up, eyes widening. "What the?!"

He fell backwards, scrambling on his hands and feet to get away, just as Nozomi pounced onto the snowball, crushing it under her weight. The brunette got up, brushing herself off and, seeing the heap of crushed snow, her eyes widened as she realized what she'd just done. "...Oops."

She glanced at Naruto, who was regarding her curiously, and a light shade of pink coated her cheeks. "Um...sorry. I-" She hesitated, biting her lip and pressing her ears back uncomfortably. "Even in human form, sometimes my cat instincts are too difficult to control...especially the ones that insist round things be attacked…" A weak laugh left her lips, and she looked down at her boots in embarrassment.

The crunch of snow drew her eyes upward a moment later, and she gasped softly, noticing Naruto standing directly in front of her. He reached out, tousling her ears affectionately, an amused grin etching itself into his features at her faint purr. "Do you even _know_ how cute you are?"

Startled at his declaration, Nozomi bit her lip and shrunk away from his oddly soothing touch. In response, the blond chuckled, kneeling down, and grabbed her hand, pulling her down as well. At her confused look he flashed a toothy grin. "I was thinking, if you're the one making the snowballs maybe you won't attack them. I'll help you." Without waiting for an answer, he placed his larger hands over hers, guiding them, and within seconds, the ball of snow had doubled in size, now twice as big as the original one she'd broken.

A gust of wind blew by, making the two shudder, and as Naruto's hands gripped the back of hers instinctively, Nozomi was immensely grateful that she could blame the color in her cheeks on the cold weather. It was embarrassing, but in truth, she was having trouble focusing on the snowball, as her thoughts kept going back to how nice his hands felt on hers.

…..

Nozomi stood back and gazed at their snowman, grinning. For her first time doing such a thing, he had turned out pretty well. At her side, Naruto tilted his head, brows furrowing slightly.

"I think Frosty's missing something." He commented, approaching the snowman. He proceeded to circle around it, a skeptical look on his face, while Nozomi watched with a raised eyebrow.

"I don't see anything missing. He's got eyes, a nose, a mouth, buttons, a hat and a scarf…." She trailed off, shrugging. Deciding to let him figure it out, she leaned back against a tree to relax while she waited, only to scramble away as a dead branch fell from above, landing where she'd been sitting.

"Nozomi-chan!" Naruto suddenly exclaimed, turning to look at her excitedly. "You're a genius!"

"Nya?" Nozomi blinked, confused as the boy approached, crouching in front of the fallen branch. What was he getting at? As she watched, the blond snapped two smaller twigs off the branch and hurried over to Frosty. It wasn't until he stuck a twig on the left and right sides of the middle snowball that Nozomi realized what he'd been up to, and a giggle escaped her. "Ohhh...you gave him arms!" She exclaimed, getting up and standing beside him to admire their creation. She had to admit, Frosty did look a lot better with the addition of arms.

When Naruto said nothing, the brunette glanced over and sweat dropped, seeing his gaze had shifted to the pond. Judging by the amused look on his face, she knew he had to be remembering her moment on the ice earlier, and she pouted slightly, crossing her arms. "Well, if I knew how to skate it wouldn't have been such a problem, would it?"

In response, Naruto turned to her, chuckling. "I've never skated before either." He paused, glancing back out at the ice. "I'd like to try though, someday."

"Hmm. Well then…" Nozomi's eyes slipped shut for a moment, and soft jingles were heard around them. Just as they faded away like a whisper, two pairs of ice skates appeared in Naruto's arms, and he looked down in shock before turning wide eyes to the girl.

"Nozomi-chan? Was that...?"

"Yeah, it was me," The brunette confirmed, grinning, "I hope you enjoy this, because now the only magic I have left will be used to grant your wish tomorrow."

Smiling widely in thanks, Naruto went about changing into one pair of skates, marveling at how they fit perfectly. Did Nozomi know his shoe size or something? Deciding not to dwell on it, he tied the laces and got up, a little wobbly on the blades as he ventured out onto the pond.

Nozomi took one look at the remaining skates, and turned to the frozen surface. "So, we meet again." She mumbled disdainfully. She shot one last look at her skates before deciding to forgo the whole thing, instead moving onto the bridge to watch her friend's efforts.

She couldn't help giggling when the blond slipped and slid on the ice, falling at least half a dozen times. However, unlike her earlier dilemma, the boy had skates on, and his hands weren't covered in fur that would make getting up difficult; he was back on his feet with minimal trouble, and soon enough, he had gotten the hang of the blades on his feet enough to glide around in wide circles that made Nozomi secretly envious.

Suddenly, he stopped and looked up, a mischievous smirk lighting up his features as he spotted her on the bridge. "Y'know, if you take too much longer the ice will thaw out!" He teased, causing her to wrinkle her nose and stick out her tongue.

"That's okay. I'm perfectly happy watching you instead." She retorted.

Skating closer to the bridge, Naruto fixed the brunette with a pout. "Aww, but it's so fun, you have to try! Please, Nozo-chan?"

"No, thank you." Came the catgirl's reply, and his lips pressed into a thin line as she turned her back to him, arms folded stubbornly across her chest.

' _Fine, if that's how she wants to play…'_

Moving toward the snowbank, the blond kicked off his skates, grabbed the other pair, and made his way toward the girl. Hearing the creaking wood caught her attention, and he watched in amusement as wide, gold orbs flitted from him to the skates he held. She took a step back, looking like a cornered animal, which he found ironic given the situation as he closed the distance between them. Unfortunately, Nozomi was so caught up watching the blond, she forgot that the bridge was arched, and after a few more steps, she fell backward, hitting the wood with a hard _thunk_.

Naruto knelt beside her, and for a split second, she believed that he was going to help her up. When he didn't offer his hand, she realized what was really going on as he began to remove her boots. "H-hey! Don't you dare!" She warned, contorting her face into what she hoped was an intimidating scowl.

The blond just snickered and shook his head before slipping a skate onto her foot and tying the laces. Moments later, he had her standing on wobbly legs, glaring and threatening him as he put on his own skates and led her, unwillingly onto the pond.

As soon as she felt the snow give way to ice, the brunette whimpered softly and clung to him for dear life, ears flat against her head.. "P-please, Naruto-kun. Take me b-back. I don't want to do th-this!"

"Quit bein' such a fraidy cat!" Naruto chuckled as he took both her hands, forcing her to stand up straight. "Look, it's not that hard, okay? Just follow me and do what I do." As he spoke, he slowly moved backwards, leading the brunette in small circles.

In spite of her reservations, after a few minutes, Nozomi's legs stopped trembling, and she felt herself relax a little more into the motion. Gradually, her movements grew more graceful and less clumsy as she allowed the boy to lead her in semi large circles, trusting him not to take her any further than she was comfortable with.

That was the moment that he let go, and she gaped at his back as he sped away while she stumbled forward clumsily. All thoughts of enjoyment were gone as she wobbled, feeling her legs give out beneath her. "Ahh! I knew this would happen!" The brunette gasped as she fell backward, only instead of hitting solid ice, she collided with a warm chest.

Glancing up, she stared into the amused looking face of Naruto, who'd caught her just in time, and a blush crept into her cheeks. "Naruto-kun-you...I-Whoa!"

She yelped as he pulled her back onto her feet, and as he began to lead her again, this time keeping her in close proximity to himself. In spite of her annoyance with him for leaving to begin with, her heart was beating wildly, and as he spun her with a grace she'd never thought possible, she couldn't help wishing this moment could last forever.

…..

"Hey, you weren't that bad!"

Nozomi frowned at Naruto with an expression that said "yeah, right" as he unlocked the door, and she headed inside. After peeling off the scarf, coat, and mittens she'd borrowed from the blond, she headed to the bathroom, figuring it better to change out of his sweats in private. When she came back out, the boy had taken off his own snow clothing and was sitting on the couch.

"I'm glad that's over. I couldn't even take two steps without needing your help…" The brunette sank onto the seat beside him, too tired to react as his arm wrapped around her shoulders, pulling her close.

"That's okay, it was your first time. Besides…" Naruto grinned, a blush rising into his cheeks, "I didn't mind having you hold onto me."

The tender look in his eyes made a blush spread over Nozomi's face as well, and she looked away awkwardly, covering her mouth as she forced a yawn. "Well, regardless, that was quite an adventure. It's late now; don't you think it's time we were getting ready for bed?"

She made to stand up, but stopped as Naruto placed his palm over her hand, and she looked back to see him smiling sadly.

"I know it's late, but I was hoping we could stay up a little bit longer. Since...you know."

There was a heaviness in his words that she recognized, and her embarrassment faded as she nodded, relaxing back into the couch. The blond exhaled with relief, and scooted closer to her.

Gold eyes widened slightly as his arms snaked around her waist in a warm embrace, and she squirmed a bit, unnerved by his close proximity after all that had happened that night. "Naruto-kun, wait- I-!"

"Shh," Naruto spoke softly, his breath tickling her over sensitive ear as he leaned in close. He lowered his voice to a whisper, resting his chin on her head; he noticed her hair still faintly smelled of his shampoo. "Please. Just let me hold you for a little bit."

His gentle words silenced anything she might have said in protest, and Nozomi's eyes slid shut of their own accord as she rested in the boy's arm. It was so quiet, she could hear his heart beat, a calm, steady rhythm. It was the polar opposite of hers, which was thumping so hard, she was afraid _he_ might even be able to hear it and determine how nervous she was. This situation was making it too hard not to act on, or at least show him how she really felt about him.

"You know," Naruto's voice cut through the silence, and she glanced over from the corner of her eye, "This year has been really difficult. To be honest, I hated almost every minute of it, too. But...things are different now." He paused, moving to rest his cheek against her shoulder. "Really, I owe this year my thanks, because if I hadn't been so unhappy, I'd never have met you, Nozo-chan." He smiled against her skin, gazing up at her with adoring blue eyes. "I really want you to stay with me, cause I really, really like you. I think, I might even be...in love with you."

Speechless, Nozomi could do nothing but stare as she processed his words. _'In love...With_ _ **me**_ _? Even knowing what he does?!'_ Her heart fluttered in her chest and tears pooled in her eyes, making them look warm and cinnamon-y.

Noticing her uncharacteristic silence, Naruto lifted his head, a concerned look taking on his face. "Nozomi-chan? What's wrong?" He saw the glossiness in her eyes and frowned, looking away slowly. "...I see. It was too soon to say something like that, huh?" Forcing a laugh, the blond released her, scooting to the other end of the couch dejectedly.

"Huh?" Nozomi snapped out of her daze at the loss of his warmth, and she glanced up, surprised to see him so far away. _'Does he think I'm rejecting him or something?'_

She made to move closer but stopped herself as another thought occurred. _'Well,_ _ **am**_ _I? I know what's likely to happen tomorrow.'_ Her mouth curled into a frown as uncertainty washed over her. _'I like him so much...but is it okay to keep it a secret just because I'm scared? It's not fair to Naruto-kun, who also knows what could happen, but took a risk anyways.'_

Her eyes shifted to the boy again, and she had to suppress a chuckle when he turned his head away quickly. Even in his heartache, he'd been sneaking peeks at her. _'He's always been watching out for me. Even when I didn't notice.'_ She realized, thinking back over the past week. Naruto had made it a point not to let her out of sight if he could help it. She'd initially thought he was just that lonely, now she wondered if there was more to it than that, and if so, how could she have not realized it sooner?

 _'Because you were in denial about your own feelings, remember?'_ Nozomi sighed softly at the truth of that thought and shrugged. While she'd been careful to keep things between them platonic, Naruto had grown bold the last couple days, and tried to take things further, which meant he was willing to risk his heart again, for her. He had even said he'd make the wish to set her free. There was no reason she couldn't at least try to have a little faith...and in the meantime, she might as well indulge him, potential heartbreak be darned.

Feeling a surge of boldness, the brunette crawled across the couch cushion to where Naruto sat. Feeling her movement, the whiskered boy turned, looking confused. Deciding that this was it, Nozomi leaned in and planted a kiss on his cheek. When she pulled back, he was staring at her blankly, and her ears lowered self consciously as she averted her gaze, wondering if she'd done the wrong thing. "Er..sorry. It's just...I think you got the wrong idea so I..."

She trailed off, blushing as she realized that his nose was nearly touching hers; the rest of her apology fled her mind as his lips claimed hers. After a few seconds, they parted, panting softly, and Naruto beamed at her.

"Silly kitty."

His arms wrapped around her in a tight grip that she didn't protest this time, and he pulled her into his lap, resting his chin on her head and inhaling deeply. "If only there was another way to keep you here."

Nozomi winced at the scent of salt in the air. He was...crying? She pulled back to look at the blond worriedly, only to find that he was falling asleep. Deciding that it was time to get him to bed, the brunette moved to the side, intending to get off his lap so she could wake him up. Instead he moved with her, and she yelped softly as she was pulled down onto her side with the blond in an awkward tangle of limbs.

Emitting a soft groan as her efforts to get up were fruitless, the catgirl decided to just stay put and hope he'd wake up on his own later. In the meantime, since she clearly wasn't going anywhere, she might as well get some rest. She was just closing her eyes when she felt Naruto's hot breath on her shoulder.

"...I wish you could stay with me..."

Gold eyes shot open in shock. _'That was...!'_ Glancing back, the brunette resisted the urge to cry out in frustration. Naruto may have made the right wish, but it was doubtful that it'd be treated as such since he'd made it in his sleep!

She frowned, closing her eyes once more and sighed heavily. "I wish I could stay too, Naruto-kun...I would do it in a heartbeat." Curling against the boy as best as she could, the brunette closed her eyes once again, finally drifting into a deep sleep filled with the soft chimes of jingle bells.

...

Naruto squinted, and an arm shot out to shield his face as sunlight streamed in through the window, signifying that it was morning. With a sigh, he uncovered his eyes and looked around, surprised to find that he wasn't in bed. What had happened last night? His face softened as he recalled the previous night's events after dinner. Building Frosty and ice skating, then relaxing on the couch after. _'We must've fallen asleep out here.'_

Blue eyes widened, and the blond shot up, panic written on his face as he noticed that he was alone on the couch. "Nozomi? Nozomi!"

"What is it? I'm trying to sleep, you know."

Relieved to find that she hadn't completely disappeared, Naruto peered over the edge of the couch. "N-No-zo-mi?" He sputtered, rubbing his eyes in disbelief.

A clawed hand shot up, as if trying to cover his mouth while the brunette on the floor grumbled sleepily. "Naruto-kun, can't it wait till morning?" Not waiting for an answer, she rolled onto her side, away from him and, recovering from his shock, Naruto chuckled.

"But Nozomi-chan, it is morning." He got up and sat on his knees beside the catgirl, tracing the fur on her ears with his index finger. "I really think you're gonna want to hear this!"

Eyelids fluttered in response, and Nozomi rolled onto her stomach, gazing up at him with tired eyes. "Okay? So what's going on, then?"

"That's what I'm wondering." Naruto murmured, and seeing her eyes roll slightly, he hurried to continue, fearing she would fall back asleep on him. "So, Nozo-chan, did I...say anything last night after I fell asleep?"

Dark brows bunched together as the brunette frowned up at him. "Hey, don't answer my question with another question!"

A soft huff came from the blond, and he folded his arms across his chest. "Nozomi, please. This is important."

Seeing as he had used her name without an honorific, Nozomi realized he wasn't playing around and frowned, thinking hard. "Okay, fine. Last night? You didn't really do anything, aside from making a wish in your sleep. Why?"

Blue eyes widened, and the boy leaned in closer, an urgent look on his face. "I did?! What did I wish for?"

Trying to hide her annoyance at being answered with yet another question, the brunette sighed tiredly. "You wished I could stay with you. Now, tell me why this is such a big deal? Wishes made in your sleep don't count, you know!"

She was about to close her eyes again when she noticed the goofy grin on the blond's face, and she frowned. "Naruto-kun? Come on...what's going on?"

Naruto's grin only grew in response, and she lowered her head to the floor with her ears flat, feeling unnerved as he moved closer. "Why are you grinning at me like that?"

Stopping when their faces were merely inches apart, the boy grinned mischievously, lowering his voice. "Nozo-chan, that wish was granted."

Now all thoughts of sleep were banished from her mind, and Nozomi stared at him in shock. "Are you serious?!" For the first time since he'd awoken her, she sat up, and her lips parted in a gasp as she realized she was, in fact still in her human form. Jumping to her feet, she darted past a bewildered looking Naruto and down the hall, stopping to gap at her reflection in the bathroom. It was true, she somehow hadn't turned back into a cat!

...But how? Nozomi was positive that wishes made in one's sleep didn't count. A previous client of hers had made a random wish in his sleep, but it had gone unfulfilled until he voiced it the next morning. So why had it worked now? What could have been done differently this time?

 _"I wish I could stay too..."_

With a start she remembered her own words, and her eyes grew wider, if possible. _'Did it work because I wished for the same thing, too? But...I thought that the charge had to make the wish himself! Nobody ever said anything about me making any wishes!'_ She placed a hand to her chest, thinking back to the previous night, and how full her heart had felt when Naruto admitted his feelings for her. Could it be...that even if the correct wish was made, it only worked if the Christmas cat was in agreement as well?

 _'If the requirements were feelings of love...then no wonder nobody's ever figured out the secret! This job is all about making the client happy, after all. Nobody ever said that the Christmas cat was supposed to think about her own desires as well!'_

A slow smile began to spread across the brunette's face as reality sank in at last. She didn't have to leave after all. She could stay and begin a new life for herself. A little voice in her head nagged that she couldn't live a normal life with ears and a tail, but she ignored it. For now, she was content with being able to stay with Naruto.

 _'Oh my gosh...Naruto-kun!'_

Remembering that she'd left the boy hanging, Nozomi hurried back to the main room and, spotting him standing by the tree, she lunged at him. Naruto gave a surprised shout as he lost his footing, and the two of them collapsed to the floor in a heap.

Nozomi grinned down at the blond sheepishly and climbed off him, offering a hand to help him up.

To her shock, he simply pulled her back down, rolling so he hovered over her. "Well, that was an interesting way to get my attention." His eyes were mischievous as he watched her, amused by the color that was rapidly taking over her face as she noted the compromising position they were in. "Was there something you wanted to tell me, or do you just enjoy tackling me to the floor?"

Feeling her face burn with embarrassment, Nozomi took a deep breath, trying to will the blush away as she looked up at him, smiling weakly. "Yes. Nobody ever told me, but it looks like I had to be in agreement for the wish to be granted, whether it was made in your sleep or not." She paused, noticing the confusion flicker across his face and sighed softly in amusement. "I think the wish worked because I made the same wish after you did." She stated simply.

Immediately, Naruto's face shifted from one of confusion to one of understanding, and his eyes began to tear up as he gave her a watery smile. "So then...that means you're here to stay now, right?"

Deciding that she'd had enough of this position, Nozomi grabbed his hands and jerked to the side, rolling them again. Now straddling his stomach, she gave him an innocent grin. "Yep, you're stuck with me." Sticking her tongue out playfully, she climbed off him, getting to her feet and he followed suit.

"This is the best Christmas ever!" Arms wound around her, pulling her close, and a kiss was pressed to her temple. "Thank you, Nozo-chan..thank you for granting my wish!"

A warm smile appeared on the brunette's face, and she reached out, stroking his jaw tenderly. "No, Naruto-kun. Thank _you_. I've been granting people's wishes for years, and now, thanks to you, I'm free to live any life I choose!" With a happy sigh, she wrapped her arms around his neck, leaning into him in a warm hug. "If there's ever anything I can do to repay you...well...just name it."

There was a pause, and Naruto pulled back to look at her, a teasing glint in his eyes. "Anything, huh? Well, I can think of a few things." His brows wiggled suggestively, and she blushed, giggling nervously and shoving his chest playfully.

"You're such a pervert, Naruto-kun!"

All signs of teasing vanished from the blond's face at this, and he arched his brow at her in confusion. "What? I was just gonna say you could go on a date with me and be my girlfriend!" He paused, a mischievous grin appearing on his face. "What were _you_ thinking I meant? Eh, No-zo-mi?"

A look of horror appeared on the brunette's face at his innocent question, and she pulled away, but not before he saw the darkening blush on her face. "Well then, now that we've settled that, let's get some breakfast! Okay? Okay!"

Without waiting for an answer, she dashed into the kitchen, and Naruto chuckled, following her with an amused grin. He'd let it go for now, but he'd be sure to get it out of her later.


End file.
